Customers who book a private flu jab online with the supermarket by December 9 will receive £2 in their cash pot to be spent as they wish.

Asda’s private flu jab costs £9.98 – which the supermarket claims is the cheapest on the market.

It follows Asda's announcement in September that it would add £1 to customers' cash pots if they booked a private flu vaccination at one of the supermarket's branches before October 23.

Read more: ‘Fantastic’ uptake: Number of pharmacy flu jabs edges closer to 1m mark

The supermarket also offers free flu jabs to qualifying patients in its 245 in-store pharmacies.

Faisal Tuddy, superintendent pharmacist at Asda, said: "At a time where we’re seeing cases of flu rise rapidly, we’re keen to encourage as many of our customers as possible to book themselves in and get protected."

Earlier this month, C+D reported that community pharmacy teams had administered almost one million NHS flu jabs between September 1 and October 31 this year.

 

COVID-19 booster vaccine

 

Boots is also encouraging people to get their flu vaccination and COVID-19 booster vaccines by the end of this month.

The health and beauty giant has already given over one million flu vaccinations this season but still has almost one million appointments available to book online, it said.

Read more: Which Boots, Well and Day Lewis branches are offering COVID-19 booster jabs?

Approximately 33 million people are eligible for the free NHS flu jab, including those over 50, pregnant women and those with medical conditions such as diabetes or heart disease. 

New Boots superintendent pharmacist Claire Nevinson said: "It’s a good idea to plan ahead to ensure you have your flu jab, and your COVID-19 booster vaccination if you are eligible."

"If you’ve not had them already, this the best way to protect yourself and reduce the risk of passing the viruses to others," she added.

In September, C+D reported on how the NHS was testing a pharmacy flu jab booking portal in a bid to increase uptake.

 

Vaccine fatigue

 

Well Pharmacy has carried out research and discovered that a quarter of people think that vaccine fatigue has set in.

A study surveying 2,000 people found that 23% felt others were tired of hearing about vaccines and 14% said they were tired of hearing about jabs.

Read more: How to optimise your flu vaccination services

Conversely, 38% of people said they were grateful for having access to the flu and COVID-19 vaccines.

George Sandhu, deputy superintendent pharmacist at Well Pharmacy, said: "It’s deeply concerning that there seems to be a sense of vaccination fatigue, as it really is the most important thing you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones this winter.

"Although most people recover from the flu virus, it can become very serious. Community Pharmacy plays a vital role in supporting the NHS."