Adult Immunisations

Flu Season Directive 2025/26

For the 2025/26 season, the UK flu directive expands eligibility to include more adults and children, with vaccinations starting for pregnant women and children from September 1 2025 and for most other adults from October 1 2025. Key groups include young children, school-aged children, pregnant women, those 65 and over, clinical risk groups, and frontline health and social care staff. New this year, the recombinant influenza vaccine is available, and an adjuvanted vaccine is now available for those aged 50 and over. 
 
Who is eligible?
  • Children: Ages 2 and 3 on August 31, 2025, and all primary and secondary school-aged children (Reception to Year 11). Children aged 6 months to under 18 in clinical risk groups are also eligible. 
     
  • Pregnant women: Vaccinations start from September 1, 2025. 
     
  • Older adults: All those aged 65 years and over. 
     
  • Clinical risk groups: Adults aged 6 months to under 65 with certain clinical conditions. 
     
  • Other eligible groups: People in long-stay residential care homes, carers, and household contacts of immunocompromised individuals. 
     
  • Frontline health and social care staff: Those who are not at higher risk from flu due to a medical condition. 
     
Key dates: 
 
  • September 1, 2025: Start of vaccinations for pregnant women and young children.
  • October 1, 2025: Start of vaccinations for most other eligible adult cohorts.
Changes for the 2025/26 season: 
 
  • New vaccines available:
    The recombinant influenza vaccine (IIVr) is available, and the adjuvanted inactivated influenza vaccine (aIIV), previously for those 65+, is now licensed for everyone aged 50 and over.
  • Trivalent vaccines:
    All vaccines used will be trivalent, protecting against two influenza A strains and one influenza B strain.
Where to get vaccinated:
  • Your GP or practice nurse: Contact your local GP practice to book an appointment. 
     
     
  • Maternity services: Pregnant women may also receive their vaccine through maternity services. 
     
  • Workplace arrangements: Frontline health and social care staff should check arrangements made by their employer. 
     
It's important to get vaccinated as soon as you
are eligible to ensure you and others
are protected before winter. 

IMMUNISATION

Do I Need To Be Protected Against Pneumococcal Infection?

Everybody aged 65 and over should now be immunised to help protect them against pneumococcal infection which can cause diseases such as pneumonia, septicaemia (blood poisoning) and meningitis. Please phone the surgery during September to make an appointment if the above applies to you.

RSV Vaccination Programme for Older Adults

The RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) vaccine is new for Autumn 2024.
 
This vaccine is free for our patients who:
  • turn 75 years of age on or after the 1st September 2024
  • are already aged 75 to 79 years old on 1st September 2024
The reason this vaccine is offered to this age group is because older adults are more at risk of serious complications from the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).  RSV is an infectious disease of the airways and lungs.  RSV can be more severe in people with medical conditions such as heart or lung disease or weakened immune system.
 
Contact the Practice if you would like to book your vaccination now. 
 
Your guide to the RSV vaccine  
 
Updated Information on RSV - December 2024
  • adults turning 75 years (older adult routine programme). These patients will remain eligible until they attain 80 years and will not be eligible thereafter
  • adults aged 75 to 78 years on 31 August 2024 (older adult catch-up programme). These patients will remain eligible until they attain 80 years and will not be eligible thereafter
  • adults aged 79 years on the 31 August 2024 (older adult catch-up programme). These patients will remain eligible until the 31 August 2025 (so, exceptionally, will be eligible aged 80) and will not be eligible thereafter
  • from 28 weeks of pregnancy either opportunistically or on request. They will remain eligible until birth.

Page last reviewed: 01 September 2025
Page created: 22 September 2022