Flu Booster:

Since early September, flu vaccines have started to be made available to key groups, including 2 and 3-year-olds, school-aged children and pregnant women. If you or a loved one have receive an invite, please make sure to book an appointment.

Other eligible groups include frontline health and social care staff (who can self-declare if their organisation isn’t offering vaccinations), unpaid carers, people aged 65 and over, and individuals with long-term health conditions. For more information click here, or visit: Flu - NHS (www.nhs.uk).

COVID-19 Booster:

Protection against COVID-19 (either from catching the virus or from a previous vaccination) can fade over time and the virus can change so if you are at higher risk of severe illness it is important that you top up your protection.

Eligible individuals will receive invitations from the NHS to book their COVID-19 booster either via the national booking system or through their GP practice. We may also arrange pop-up clinics. Look out for an NHS invite if you are 65 or older, or in a clinical risk group. For more information about COVID-19 click here.

Childhood vaccinations / immunisations:

Young babies and children are vulnerable to infections, so they need to be protected as early as possible. Childhood vaccines are given at different ages – for different illnesses.

They begin when babies are two months old and continue through their teenage years. Your child needs several vaccines to protect them from infections, so it’s important to complete their immunisation programme.

The childhood immunisation schedule is designed to provide early protection against infections that are most dangerous. This is particularly important for diseases such as whooping cough, rotavirus and those due to pneumococcal, Hib and meningococcal infections.

Change in immunisation schedule – from 1 July 2025

From 1 July 2025, the NHS is making changes to the childhood vaccination schedule to better protect children against serious diseases. Some vaccines will be given earlier, providing protection when children need it most. The new schedule changes are the results of continued monitoring in the epidemiology of childhood illness and changes in availability of preventative vaccinations.

The changes taking effect from 1 July are in response to these results, ensuring the NHS childhood vaccine schedule continues to provide the best protection against children becoming seriously unwell with serious preventable infections.

Individual vaccine changes:

• The MMR vaccine has been given at 18 months in some London boroughs with results showing that MMR2 coverage was higher in those boroughs compared to those given at 3 years 4 months.
• Peak age of meningitis B infection has shifted from 5 to 6 months to 1 to 3 months of age.
• Research from giving the MenB vaccine at 8 weeks and again at 12 weeks has evidenced a good response in the infant’s level of protection against meningitis B.
• Research has shown that young children will be protected by very high levels of herd immunity against the pneumococcal vaccine serotypes until they receive their dose of PCV at 16 weeks.
• The success of the Meningococcal C containing vaccine programmes, and the subsequent decline of invasive Meningococcal C disease has resulted in JCVI no longer recommending the need for a vaccine to be given to babies.
• With the UK close to seeing an end to Meningitis C circulating, JCVI has advised that a vaccination is no longer required for infants due to the excellent population protection provided by the adolescent Meningitis ACWY programme.

For further information, visit NHS vaccinations and when to have them - NHS.

RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus):

A new RSV vaccine programme is being rolled out to protect those at higher risk of severe respiratory illness. This includes pregnant women (at least 28 weeks along as of 1 September), who will receive their vaccine via maternity services, and adults aged 75-79 (as of 1 September), who will be vaccinated by their GP. Learn more about this vaccine by visiting: vaccine - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

MMR (measles, mumps and rubella):

The MMR vaccine helps prevent against measles, mumps and rubella - infections that spread easily between people and can lead to meningitis, blindness and hearing loss. Two doses of the MMR vaccine provide lifelong protection. Your GP will offer your child one vaccine dose when they are a year old and another at 3 years, 4 months. Both doses are needed to be fully protected. If you or your child have missed out on the vaccine, contact your GP surgery. For more information about MMR visit: MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Whooping cough:

Whooping cough (pertussis) is an infection of the lungs and breathing tubes that spreads easily and can be serious. It's important for babies, children and anyone who is pregnant to get vaccinated against it. The whooping cough vaccine is given:

• The 6-in-1 vaccine – for babies at 8, 12 and 16 weeks
• The 4-in-1 pre-school booster – for children aged 3 years 4 months

If you are pregnant, you should also have the whooping cough vaccine. You usually have it when you are around 20 weeks pregnant. This helps protect your baby for the first few weeks of their life.

Speak to your GP surgery or midwife if you are 20 weeks pregnant and have not been offered the whooping cough vaccine. For more information about whooping cough visit: Whooping cough - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

School-age vaccines:

School-age children are offered routine vaccines at school, but if they missed these for any reason or your child is home schooled, speak to your GP surgery to get a catch-up vaccine.

Routine vaccines include:

• Td/IVP: Tetanus, Diphtheria and Polio
• Men ACWY: Meningitis and septicaemia
• HPV: Human papillomavirus
• Dtap: Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough)

• MMR: Measles Mumps and Rubella (speak to a GP about getting vaccinated if you are not sure if you or your school-aged child have been fully vaccinated)

For more information visit: NHS vaccinations and when to have them - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Shingles:

The shingles vaccine is recommended for:

• Anyone aged 50+ with a severely weakened immune system
• Anyone turning 65 on or after September 2023
• Anyone aged 70 to 79

Shingles is a common condition that causes a painful rash and can lead to more serious problems. Being vaccinated reduces the chance of catching shingles and if you do catch it, reduces the possibility of more serious problems developing.

The shingles vaccine programme aims to offer the vaccine to those eligible all year round, with individuals becoming eligible as they celebrate their birthdays throughout the year.

For more information about shingles visit: Shingles - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Pneumococcal:

The pneumococcal vaccine helps protect against serious illnesses like pneumonia and meningitis. It's recommended for people at higher risk of these illnesses, such as babies and adults aged 65 and over.

The pneumococcal vaccine is given:

• Babies – 1st dose at 12 weeks and a booster at 1 year
• People aged 65 and over – one dose when you're 65
• Children and adults at higher risk of getting seriously ill – at least 1 dose (some people may need extra doses or regular doses)

For more information visit: Pneumococcal vaccine - NHS (www.nhs.uk)