Vaccinations
After clean water, vaccination is the most effective public health intervention in the world for saving lives and promoting good health, and therefore one of the most important things that any parent can do is get their child vaccinated and encourage them to continue this throughout their own lifetime.
Autumn 2025 Influenza Campaign: Pre-School children aged 2years of age and over
Please Note: The influenza virus spreads through droplets when people cough and sneeze. Make time to get vaccinated.
Getting vaccinated will help protect more people from flu and help to relieve possible further pressure on the health service over the coming weeks.
Adults – Vaccinations are available through GP surgeries, community pharmacies and local HSC Trust clinics, with further information on this available at www.nidirect.gov.uk/wintervaccines.
Children 2 year old up to preschool age – are invited to the practice for a nasal flu vaccine. Ring to book.
All school children will be consented and then vaccinated by the school nursing team.
Minister Nesbitt said: “Vaccination offers the best defence against serious illness that we can catch more frequently in winter. Our Health and Social Care (HSC) services face 365-day pressure, but we know they are under more severe pressure during winter. This is partially due to an increase in seasonal illnesses, such as flu, Covid and RSV. “Help us to help you, protect yourself and our vital services by getting vaccinated if you are eligible. It is not too late – get protected now.”
Eligible Groups for the 2025 to 2026 season:
- aged 2 and 3 years on 31 August 2025 (Practice) (Flu Vac Nasal Spray appointments are available to book online or via reception for Pre-School children aged two years of age and over, not yet at primary school. (DoB 02 July 2021 to 01 september 2023)
- eligible school-aged children (Reception to Year 11) – (at school)
- those aged 6 months to under 65 years in clinical risk groups (Practice)
- pregnant women (hospital clinic)
- all those aged 65 years and over (Practice)
- those in long-stay residential care homes (pharmacist)
- carers in receipt of carer’s allowance or main carer of an older or disabled person (Practice)
- household contacts of immuno-compromised individuals (Practice)
The flu vaccine does not give you the flu. It is offered as the best protection. It is free, quick and it could make a big difference to your health and the health of those close to you.
COVID-19 Autumn 2025 Campaign: Clinics Commence early October 2025
Vaccination remains the best form of defence against severe illness, hospitalisation, and death as a result of COVID-19. The COVID-19 vaccination is aimed at protecting the most vulnerable in our society.
Appointments for Covid vaccination clinics will be available to book from mid September on line or via reception.
Eligible Patients are:
- all adults aged 75 years and over; born before 31 March 1951.
- residents in a care home for older adults (in NI this will apply to all residents of a care home for older adults);
- individuals aged 6 months and over who are immunosuppressed
Unlike in previous autumn campaigns, adults aged 65 to 74 years of age and people aged under 65 years of age with underlying medical conditions, including pregnant women (apart from those who are immunosuppressed) will not be eligible for Covid vaccination. JCVI does not advise the inclusion of health and social care workers (HSCWs).
Immunosuppressed patients aged 5 to 17 years (i.e. those born between 1 October 2008 and 31 September 2020), are advised that they are eligible for vaccination, and can attend a Trust led clinic to receive the vaccine.
Community Pharmacies will be responsible for vaccination of all care home residents, including mop-up visits.
Shingles Vaccination Programme
On 1 September 2025, the Northern Ireland Shingles vaccination programme will change to allow all severely immunosuppressed people aged 18 years and over to receive the shingles vaccine. This is an expansion of the current severely immunosuppressed cohort, who until now became eligible from aged 50 years of age. There is now no upper age limit for the severely immunosuppressed cohort of patients.
Severely immunosuppressed individuals who have already received 2 doses of Shingrix® do not need re-vaccination.
Severely immunosuppressed individuals who had received Zostavax® prior to developing immunosuppression should be offered 2 doses of Shingrix®.
The age-based eligibility remains unchanged with individuals becoming eligible if they are aged 65 or 70 on 1 September each year and remaining eligible until their 80th birthday
From the 2 September 2025 patients who fall into the age cohorts below can now book an appointment with Julie Weir, Health Care Assistant to receive the Shingles Vaccine.
DoB: 2nd September 1954 to 1st September 1955
OR
DoB: 2nd September 1959 to 1st September 1960
An easy-read version of the Shingles Vaccination leaflet is available on the PHA & NIDirect websites reflecting the new cohort.
Treatment of Shingles continues to be provided at the 2 local pharmacies below until 31st March 2026:
- CARRICKFERGUS : BOOTS UK LTD 3B MARKET PLACE, BT38 7AW 028 93351200
- LARNE : B MCGRATH 19 CROSS STREET, BT40 1JW 028 28260675
Further Information:
RSV Vaccination Programme
RSV is a common respiratory virus that can cause serious lung infections. For most people, RSV infection causes a mild respiratory illness. Globally, RSV infects up to 90% of children within the first 2 years of life and frequently reinfects older children and adults.
While RSV infection can occur at any age, the risk and severity of RSV and its complications are increased in older adults and in neonates and small infants. The clinical significance of RSV in infants is that it can cause bronchiolitis which leads to the inflammation of the small airways and significant breathing difficulties. It is a leading cause of infant mortality globally, resulting in 20 to 30 deaths per year in the UK.
Adults are invited for the RSV vaccine from they turn 75 until the day before their 80 birthday and can contact reception to book an appointment. Infants receive the RSV vaccine as part of their baby vaccination schedule.
GP VACCINATION PROGRAMME
- All adults turning 75 years old on or after 1 September 2024 will be eligible for the routine programme and are offered a single dose of the RSV vaccine on or after their 75th birthday. Please book an appointment on line or via reception from mid August 24. Clinics will start at the beginning of September.
This will be a year-round programme with individuals becoming eligible once they have their 75th birthday.
In line with JCVI guidance, individuals will remain eligible until the day before their 80th birthday. - A one-off catch-up campaign for those already aged 75 to 79 years old on 1 September 2024 will be undertaken from the start of September 24. Eligible individuals in this cohort will remain eligible until the day before their 80th birthday.
People turning 80 in the first year of the programme will have until 31 August 2025 to get vaccinated.
Pneumococcal Vaccine
The pneumococcal vaccine helps protect against serious illnesses like pneumonia and meningitis. It’s recommended for people at higher risk of these illnesses, such as babies and adults aged 65 and over.
What the pneumococcal vaccine is for?
The pneumococcal vaccine helps protect against some types of bacterial infections that can cause serious illnesses like:
- meningitis (an infection in the brain and spinal cord)
- sepsis (a life-threatening reaction to an infection)
- pneumonia (an infection in the lungs)
It can also help protect against other illnesses such as sinusitis and ear infections.
Who should have the pneumococcal vaccine?
The pneumococcal vaccine is recommended for babies, older people, and people at higher risk of getting seriously ill from pneumococcal infections.
Contact your GP surgery if you or your child have missed a pneumococcal vaccination.
Further Information here: Pneumococcal Vaccine
Child Vaccinations
Measles
Measles cases are on the rise in the UK. Vaccination is vital to protect both your own children and those around you who are vulnerable.
Vaccines are the most effective way to prevent many infectious diseases, and while anti-vaccine stories are often spread on social media, these may not be based on scientific evidence and could put your child at risk of a serious illness.
Facts:
- Vaccines do not cause autism – studies have found no evidence of a link between the MMR vaccine and autism
- They do not overload or weaken the immune system
- Vaccines undergo rigorous safety testing before being introduced – they’re also constantly monitored for side effects
If people are not vaccinated, serious illnesses can spread. Measles can lead to life-threatening complications like meningitis, and may even be fatal.
Book your child’s vaccine today.
Parental consent for child vaccinations
If a parent is not accompanying a child to a vaccination appointment they need to send written consent with the adult in attendance.
Vaccination appointments will be received in the post for scheduled clinics. If you have not been contacted please contact reception.
Further Information:
Increase in Pertussis Cases in Northern Ireland
Pertusis Vaccination
Pregnant women are reminded to get the whooping cough vaccine.
The PHA is reminding pregnant women to get the whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine between 16 and 32 weeks of their pregnancy.
In 2019 in Northern Ireland 205 cases of confirmed whooping cough were reported to the PHA. During this time, when social distancing measures were in place, the number of cases declined, but now that we are mixing more frequently there is the risk that cases of whooping cough could rise again.
The majority of children who are reported as having whooping cough are infants under six months of age and so are too young to be protected by their routine childhood immunisations which are given at two, three, and four months of age. They can however be protected by their mother receiving the vaccination during pregnancy.
Book through our reception staff.
There has been a sharp increase in laboratory confirmed pertussis cases in Northern Ireland and other parts of the UK during the last two months. Since the end of January 2024 to start of March 2024, there were 71 laboratory-confirmed cases, of which 21 were in week commencing 4th March 24.
Children and pregnant women
In Northern Ireland, a primary course (3 doses) of pertussis containing vaccine is offered to all infants at 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age, with a booster at 3 years and 4 months. Children up to 10 years of age should still complete their course of pertussis primary and booster vaccination, but after recovery from any acute illness.
The maternal pertussis immunisation programme gives high vaccine effectiveness against pertussis in infants until their first vaccinations at eight weeks of old. It is offered to all pregnant women and should be administered at any stage after 16 weeks of pregnancy (and ideally following the detailed ultrasound scan).