NHS England announced that flu vaccinations for children and pregnant women started on 1 September 2024, with appointments running across autumn and winter1. The offer for these groups began as schools returned, and the NHS said it was intended to help stop the virus spreading1.
The campaign is part of the NHS drive against what it calls a "tripledemic" of COVID-19, flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) this winter1. The NHS said it had already invited over 11 million people to come forward, and that those eligible do not have to wait for an invitation to book1. Appointments for other eligible groups, including adults aged 65 and over, open from 3 October, with online bookings having opened on 23 September1. The NHS said last year it delivered more than 18 million flu vaccinations to adults and children2.
The eligible groups for a flu vaccine this year, in line with advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, are set out by the NHS as follows1:
| From 1 September | From 3 October |
|---|---|
| Pregnant women | Those aged 65 years and over |
| All children aged 2 or 3 years on 31 August 2024 | Those aged 18 to under 65 years in clinical risk groups |
| Primary school aged children (Reception to Year 6) | Those in long-stay residential care homes |
| Secondary school aged children (Year 7 to Year 11) | Carers in receipt of carer's allowance, or main carers of an elderly or disabled person |
| All children in clinical risk groups aged 6 months to under 18 years | Close contacts of immunocompromised individuals |
| Frontline social care workers without an employer-led occupational health scheme |
The NHS said the flu vaccine is usually given to children as a quick and painless spray up the nose, without the need for an injection, unless a child cannot have porcine gelatine in medical products, in which case an injected flu vaccine is available as an alternative2. It said it was sending invitations to parents and carers of 2 and 3-year-olds from Tuesday 17 September2. The RSV vaccine is also being offered for the first time to pregnant women from 28 weeks and to older adults aged 75 to 79; the NHS said pregnant women are encouraged to book via their maternity service or GP practice and older adults should wait to be invited2.
On the scale of winter viruses, the NHS cited new figures from the UK Health Security Agency showing that over the past two winters there have been at least 18,000 deaths associated with flu and over 19,500 deaths associated with COVID-191. It said flu season usually peaks in December and January1, and that during the peak of last winter's flu cases there were 2,478 patients in hospital with flu each day, 2.5 times higher than the same week in 2023 (961)2.
"With new figures showing thousands of deaths associated with COVID and flu in recent years, it is clear that the threat of winter viruses is all too real, and it is vital that anyone eligible takes up the offer to get vaccinated."
Why it matters for households
Households with children aged 2 or 3 on 31 August 2024, school-aged children, or a pregnancy are in the groups whose flu vaccination started on 1 September1. Adults aged 65 and over, people aged 18 to under 65 in clinical risk groups, care home residents, carers and close contacts of immunocompromised people become eligible from 3 October1. The NHS says anyone eligible can book via the NHS website, the NHS App, or by calling 119 for free, and that the flu vaccine can also be booked by searching online for a local pharmacy1. It says those who are unsure whether they are eligible, or who have concerns, should speak with their GP surgery or local pharmacist1. The NHS advises older adults to wait to be invited for the RSV vaccine, and pregnant women to book it via their maternity service or GP practice2.
What happens next
Flu and COVID-19 vaccinations for the remaining eligible groups begin on 3 October, following online booking from 23 September1. The NHS says appointments run across autumn and winter, ahead of a flu season that usually peaks in December and January1.
The site's guide to who can get a free flu vaccine sets out eligibility, and the guide to vaccines that protect against outbreaks covers flu, COVID-19 and measles. There is also a guide to who can get a COVID-19 vaccine now and the health emergencies hub.
Vaccines Against Outbreaks
Free Flu Vaccine Eligibility
