COVID and flu vaccines are being rolled out across England from Monday, September 18.

The jab programme is starting earlier than planned after a new variant of Covid-19 was detected in the UK.

NHS England is urging people to get both jabs, which would put pressure on the health service.

Here is when to expect from the new variant which scientists are monitoring closely, and when to expect your jab.

Who is eligible?

People in care homes will get their vaccines from Monday onwards.

Adults who are aged 65 and over, people in at-risk groups and the immunosuppressed – will be invited by the NHS to get their jabs.

These groups can book their jabs from September 18 through the NHS website, the NHS app or by calling 119.

GP surgeries or other local NHS services are also contacting people directly.

Ages two to 17 will also be able to have their vaccinations from next week.

32,255 people had their spring booster this year in Shropshire.

What’s the new variant and should we be concerned?

The new variant is called BA.2.86.

While it has not been classified as a variant of concern, scientists say there have been a high number of cases of BA.2.86 detected in different parts of the country to suggest the variant is circulating.

Only two or fewer people in Shropshire had a confirmed positive test result for the virus and reported this to the NHS as of September 3.

This is well below the level reached during last winter, and even further below the peaks seen in the pandemic.