Millions of people around the world have now had COVID-19 vaccines. The vaccines have been shown to:
- Reduce your risk of getting seriously ill or dying of COVID-19.
- Reduce your risk of catching or spreading COVID-19.
If you have a serious medical condition that puts you at higher risk then it is even more important to have the vaccines.
Vaccine update – February 2024:
Most people have now had at least three doses of COVID-19 vaccines. So the vaccine programme has changed to support those most at risk.
If you are classed as higher risk, you may be offered COVID-19 vaccines.
What COVID-19 vaccines are available?
- Spring booster 2024
Who this is for:
- Anyone over 75 years old
- People living in a care homes for older adults
- Anyone over 6 months old and immunosuppressed
- Anyone who is pregnant
The next seasonal boosters will be offered between April 15th and June 30th, 2024. They will be offered to older people in care homes and some housebound people first.
If you are eligible for this vaccine the NHS should contact you before June 30th 2024. If you think you should have been contacted but you have not heard anything, speak to your specialist or GP.
- Autumn booster 2024
We will update this page when we have information about any plans for an autumn booster.
In previous years, an autumn COVID-19 booster was offered alongside the flu vaccine.
Who this is for:
We do not know yet who will be eligible for an autumn booster in 2024. In 2023 more people were eligible for an autumn booster than for the spring booster.
In some parts of Scotland drop-in clinics were available in 2023 for those eligible for autumn COVID-19 or flu vaccines. You can find out more here.
- 1st dose
Who this is for:
- Children aged 6 months to 4 years who are at increased risk of getting seriously ill if they get COVID-19.
- People who have not had any COVID-19 vaccines who become severely immunosuppressed.
- Additional vaccines
Who this is for:
- People who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 who become severely immunosuppressed.
If your immune system has recently become very weak, you might need an extra COVID-19 vaccination before any seasonal vaccines are due. You should speak to your specialist if you think you may need this vaccine. Doctors have been asked to decide who needs to have an additional vaccine straight away and who can wait for the next seasonal booster.
- Emergency surge vaccine
It is possible that extra vaccines will be offered if a new type (variant) of COVID-19 emerges. These might only be offered to those who are most at risk or who have less immunity to COVID-19 because they are immunosuppressed.
Vaccine schedules can change regularly. The information above was correct at the time of writing. We will update this page whenever there is a major change. You can also find updated information on the NHS website here:
You can find more information about COVID-19 and liver diseases here. Including a frequently asked questions for people who are immunosuppressed.
You can find out about treatments and clinical trials and COVID-19 here.
