Autumn Covid vaccine details announced

2 mins read

Monday 12 August 2024

Tags: covid, JCVI, flu vaccine, Covid vaccine, immunisation

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has announced its recommendations for the autumn Covid booster programme.

The JCVI’s recommendation – which the government has accepted – is that the following groups receive a vaccine later this year:

  • Anyone aged six months to 64 years in a clinical risk group (as defined in tables 3 and 4 of the COVID-19 chapter of the Green Book).
  • Adults aged 65 years and over.
  • Residents in a care home for older adults.

This year, the JCVI is not recommending the booster for unpaid carers and household contacts of people with immunosuppression, as it has done in the past.

If your child is eligible, the NHS will contact you to book an appointment online, attend a walk-in service or arrange the vaccine with your GP.

Flu vaccine details

Details for the 2024 flu vaccine programme are also available online.

From 1 September 2024, the flu vaccine will be available to:

  • All children aged two or three years on 31 August 2024.
  • Primary school-aged children (from Reception to Year 6)
  • Secondary school aged children (from Year 7 to Year 11)
  • All children in clinical risk groups aged from six months to less than 18 years.
  • Pregnant women.

From 1 October 2024, the flu vaccine will be available to, among others:

  • Those aged 18 years to under 65 years in clinical risk groups (as defined by the Green Book, Influenza Chapter 19)
  • Carers in receipt of Carer’s Allowance, or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person.
  • Close contacts of immunocompromised individuals.

Usually, two and three-years olds are eligible for the nasal vaccine, which they’ll receive at the GP surgery.

School age children up to the age of 15 will be offered the vaccine nasal spray at school.

Babies aged six months to two years with a long-term condition will be offered the injected vaccine at the GP surgery. The nasal spray is not licensed for under-twos.

Read more about the flu vaccine and the covid vaccine.