The autumn 2024 COVID-19 vaccine will be available from 3 October
Who can get a COVID-19 vaccine this autumn
The groups to be offered a COVID-19 vaccine in autumn/winter 2024/25 are:
- residents in a care home for older adults
- all adults aged 65 years and over
- persons aged 6 months to 64 years in a clinical risk group, as defined in tables 3 and 4 of the COVID-19 chapter of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) Green Book on immunisation against infectious disease
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) also advises that health and social care service providers may wish to consider whether vaccination provided as an occupational health programme to frontline health and social care workers is appropriate in future years; and that ahead of such considerations, health departments may choose to continue to extend an offer of vaccination to frontline health and social care workers and staff working in care homes for older adults in autumn 2024.
The government has decided that frontline health and social care workers and staff working in care homes for older adults will continue to be offered COVID-19 vaccination in the autumn 2024 programme in England.
Additional protection for people with a severely weakened immune system
COVID-19 vaccines are normally given seasonally, but some people with a severely weakened immune system may need additional protection at other times.
You do not need to have a GP or an NHS number to get the COVID-19 vaccine
The COVID-19 vaccine is free to everyone eligible for it in the UK. This includes all migrants.
You will never be forced to have the COVID-19 vaccine and it does not affect your asylum or refugee status.
No immigration checks are needed to get treated or vaccinated for COVID-19.
Read the immunisation leaflet for migrants who have moved to the UK (UKHSA)
The benefits of COVID-19 vaccination
Getting vaccinated gives you the best protection against COVID-19.
The vaccines help:
- reduce your risk of getting seriously ill or dying from COVID-19. Some people are known to be more at risk of severe illness from COVID-19 and it can make some otherwise healthy people very ill, too.
- reduce your risk of catching COVID-19, and therefore reduce your risk of needing time off work due to COVID-19 related illness.
- reduce your risk of spreading COVID-19 to others, helping you to look after your family, friends, colleagues and community.
- protect against COVID-19 variants. The virus that causes COVID-19 changes over time; having all vaccine doses you are eligible for provides the best protection against future variants.
Find out why vaccination is safe and important.