Your best shot at avoiding unnecessary illness this winter

Getting your yearly flu and COVID-19 vaccines lowers your chances of having serious complications or dying from these diseases. This is especially true for people who are at high risk of complications. The message from the Public Health Agency (PHA) is clear –if you are eligible, get vaccinated now.

Rachel Spiers, Immunisation and Vaccination Programme Manager at the PHA, said: “If you are at risk and in one of the eligible groups for the winter vaccines, don’t delay in getting vaccinated, as it could mean the difference between life or death this winter.

“Every winter in Northern Ireland people die from respiratory illnesses such as seasonal flu and COVID-19. Just because we didn’t see large amounts of flu or COVID-19 circulating last year does not mean that it has gone away. Flu and COVID-19 could strike at any time and it’s the most vulnerable that will be impacted most.

“Last year over one million doses of flu and COVID-19 vaccines where given to eligible people in Northern Ireland, helping to protect them, their friends and family from potentially serious illness.

“All vaccines and medicines can have some side effects, although not everybody gets them. The benefits of the vaccines in preventing illness and serious complications associated with it far outweigh any currently known side effects in the majority of patients. The most common side effects of the winter vaccines are mild and get better within a week. As with all vaccines and medicines, the safety of these vaccines is being continually monitored.

“Vaccines are one of the most effective ways to prevent many infectious diseases and save lives. I would urge everyone who falls into an eligible group to take up the offer of free vaccination when invited.” 

If you are in an eligible group, you can get vaccinated by your GP practice, a participating community pharmacy or HSC Trust vaccination clinic.

Eligible groups for COVID-19 autumn booster vaccine in 2024/25 are:

• All adults aged 65 years and over;
• persons aged six months to 64 years in a clinical risk group, as laid out in the Immunisation Green Book COVID-19 chapter (Green Book);
• pregnant women;
• residents and staff in a care home for older adults;
• frontline health and social care workers.

Those eligible for flu vaccine in 2024/25 are:

• All adults aged 65 years and over;
• persons aged six months to 64 years in a clinical risk group, as laid out in the Immunisation Green Book influenza chapter (Green Book);
• pregnant women;
• residents and staff in a care home for older adults;
• all health and social care workers.
• all preschool children aged two to four years on 1 September 2024;
• all primary and secondary school children (up to and including year 12);
• carers;
• close contacts of immunocompromised individuals.

Further details on the winter vaccination programme can be found at www.nidirect.gov.uk/wintervaccines