YOUNG children will be offered flu vaccines for the first time from today, as the NHS kicks off its winter vaccine rollout.
Two to three-year-olds in nurseries in some parts of England will be given the jabs by school immunisation teams, the health service said.
School immunisation teams will offer nursery aged children flu jabs in areas[/caption]
The scheme is expected to be rolled out more widely, though the NHS did not specify when that would be.
Pregnant women in England will also be eligible for a free flu jab from today.
Kate Brintworth, chief midwifery officer for NHS England, said: “Getting vaccinated while pregnant is the best way to protect your baby from the moment they are born, as it passes on that extra protection to them and helps keep you safe during pregnancy.
“Vaccinations against flu, whooping cough and RSV are recommended by the NHS for pregnant women and are proven to be safe for mothers and babies.
“With flu jabs available from today for women at any stage of their pregnancy, now is the time for mums to act to make sure their babies are protected ahead of their first few months this winter.”
Expectant mums and all children aged between two and 16 years are eligible for the vaccine from today.
As for people in clinical risk groups – which includes having diabetes, heart disease or a weakened immune system – the age range for eligibility is between six months and 18 years.
Most school-aged children will receive the jabs at school, but younger children and those who miss their school or nursery session are also able to get vaccinated at their GP practice or at a community clinic.
Meanwhile, pregnant women should speak to their maternity team to receive the vaccine at their scheduled maternity appointments, or contact their GP or pharmacy.
All other eligible groups will be able to book their flu jabs – as well as their Covid vaccine – through the NHS National Booking System, which opened today.
Appointments will start from October 1.
The flu jab is being offered to:
- Everyone aged 65 and over
- Under 65s in clinical risk groups
- Care home residents and carers
- Close contacts of those who are immunosuppressed
- Frontline social care workers and health and social care staff
Adults aged 75 and over, older adult care home residents and people who are immunosuppressed can get the Covid-19 vaccination.
The NHS is sending out millions of invitations this month to remind eligible people to come forward as soon as they can, but there’s no need to wait for an invitation to book.
If you fit the above criteria, you can book your jab via the NHS website, NHS App or by calling 119.
Dr Amanda Doyle, national director for primary care and community services at NHS England, said: “The threat from getting seriously ill from flu and Covid-19 is all too real and each year we see hundreds of thousands of people hospitalised due to these nasty viruses – especially across the winter months.
“Vaccination is our best defence against these viruses and can be life-saving – so I would urge mothers-to-be, parents of young children and teens, and others who are eligible to come forward or book appointments for their jabs as soon as possible, to help protect themselves and loved ones.
Who’s eligible for flu jabs and when
Here’s a breakdown of who’s eligible for a flu vaccination this autumn and winter.
From September 1:
- Pregnant women
- All children aged two or three on 31 August 2025
- 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 between six months to less than 18
From October 1:
- Those aged 65 years and over
- Those aged 18 to under 65 in clinical risk groups
- Those in long-stay residential care homes
- 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
- Frontline workers in a social care setting without an employer led occupational health scheme including those working for a registered residential care or nursing home, registered domiciliary care providers, voluntary managed hospice providers and those that are employed by those who receive direct payments (personal budgets) or Personal Health budgets, such as Personal Assistants
Health and social care staff will also be offered a flu vaccine from their organisation from October 1, 2025.
Source: NHS England
“Flu and Covid vaccines are free to those at greatest risk and teams across the country are working hard to make it as quick and easy as possible to get them via local GP practices, pharmacies, in schools and other community clinics, so please do book an appointment today – it could keep you out of hospital this winter.”
The flu vaccine is estimated to have prevented around 100,000 people in England from ending up in hospital last winter.
But more than 300,000 hospital bed days were taken up by patients with flu last winter, which was almost double the previous winter (175,062 in 2023-24), according to NHS England.
Health minister Stephen Kinnock said: “We’re taking action now to protect the most vulnerable and build our defences before seasonal viruses take hold.
“Last winter showed us the significant impact the flu vaccination programme has with over 100,000 hospitalisations prevented, protecting patients from disease and the NHS from winter pressures.
“I urge all eligible families to come forward as soon as possible. Getting vaccinated now means you’ll be protected before peak flu season hits.”
Appointments for Covid-19 vaccinations will be available until Friday January 30 next year, while flu jabs will be offered until the end of March 2026.
Those eligible are being urged to take up the offer as soon as they can to ensure protection ahead of the peak winter virus season – evidence from the UK Health Security Agency suggests the flu season usually peaks in December and January.
Getting vaccinated from October will ensure people most at risk are protected during the colder months, when people gather indoors and viruses spread.