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 – September 2023:
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?
- 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.
- Seasonal boosters
Who this is for: People who are:
- Over 65
- Aged 6 months to 64 years old and in a clinical risk group
- Frontline health and social care workers
- People aged 12-64 years old who are household contacts of people with immunosuppression.
Because of a new COVID-19 variant, the 2023 autumn vaccination campaign will start early.
Vaccinations are scheduled to start on September 11th for care home residents and those most at risk. They will be given at the same time as the autumn flu vaccine.
If you are eligible for this vaccine the NHS should contact you. If you think you should have been contacted but you have not heard anything, speak to your specialist or GP.
In some parts of Scotland drop-in clinics are available for those eligible for COVID-19 or flu vaccines. You can find out more here.
- 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 try to 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 an frequently asked questions for people who are immunosuppressed.
You can find out about treatments and clinical trials and COVID-19 here.
