The flu vaccine helps protect against flu, which can be a serious or life-threatening illness. It’s offered on the NHS every year in autumn or early winter to people at higher risk of getting seriously ill from flu.
Who should have the flu vaccine?
The flu vaccine is recommended for people at higher risk of getting seriously ill from flu.
You can get the free NHS flu vaccine if you:
- Are aged 65 or over
- Have certain long-term health conditions
- Are pregnant
- Live in a care home
- Are the main carer for an older or disabled person, or receive a carer’s allowance
- Live with someone who has a weakened immune system
Frontline health and social care workers can also get a flu vaccine through their employer.
The flu vaccine is recommended for people with certain long-term health conditions including:
- Conditions that affect your breathing, such as asthma (needing a steroid inhaler or tablets), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or cystic fibrosis
- Heart conditions, such as coronary heart disease or heart failure
- Chronic kidney disease
- Liver disease, such as cirrhosis or hepatitis
- Some conditions that affect your brain or nerves, such as Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis or cerebral palsy
- Diabetes or Addison’s disease
- A weakened immune system due to a condition such as HIV or AIDS, or due to a treatment such as chemotherapy or steroid medicine
- Problems with your spleen, such as sickle cell disease, or if you’ve had your spleen removed
- A learning disability
- Being very overweight – a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or above.
Speak to your GP surgery or specialist if you have a health condition and you’re not sure if you’re eligible for the flu vaccine.
Having the flu vaccine at the same time as other vaccines
You can have the flu vaccine at the same time as other vaccines such as the COVID-19 vaccine and shingles vaccine.
It’s not usually given at the same time as the RSV vaccine, but you can have them at the same time if a doctor or nurse thinks it’s needed.
How to get the flu vaccine
If you’re eligible for an NHS flu vaccine, you can get your vaccine from:
- Your GP surgery
- Participating pharmacies
Some people may be able to get the vaccine through their maternity service.
Frontline health and social care workers will usually get the flu vaccine through their employer. If you cannot get a flu vaccine through your employer, you can get it at a pharmacy or your GP surgery if you’re employed:
- By a registered residential care or nursing home
- By a registered domiciliary care provider
- By a voluntary managed hospice provider
- Through direct payments or personal health budgets.
Visit the NHS.UK website for more information on the flu vaccination Flu vaccine – NHS (www.nhs.uk).