Flu Vaccinations in October; September for Pregnant Women
This year’s NHS flu vaccination campaign will start a little later for most people.
The NHS, the Department of Health and Social Care, and the UK Health Security Agency have decided that routine flu vaccinations for most people will begin in October 2024.
Because vaccine effectiveness decreases over time, starting a little later means that more people will have maximum protection when flu season normally starts at the end of November.
The exception is pregnant women, who can get vaccinated from the beginning of September. This gives the maximum protection throughout their pregnancy.
Who can get the flu vaccines and when
There are no changes to who can get vaccinated against flu this year. Here is the full eligibility, along with when you can get vaccinated.
Remember, please wait to be invited to book a flu appointment before contacting your GP practice.
| Group | When |
|---|---|
| Pregnant Women | September |
| Aged over 65 | October |
| Have certain long-term health conditions | October |
| Live in a care home | October |
| Main carer for an older or disabled person, or receive a carer’s allowance | October |
| Live with someone who has a weakened immune system | October |
Importance of Annual Flu Vaccines
You may wonder why new flu vaccines are needed yearly when other vaccines are given in childhood and offer life-long protection.
It’s because some viruses like flu and COVID-19 replicate quickly, making new, slightly different copies of themselves.
Vaccines need to be updated to target those new strains so our immune systems are prepared.
Other diseases like smallpox or polio can’t do this, that’s why we only need one set of jabs to be fully protected.