Vaccines are vital for protecting the population of Kent and Medway; vaccines are the best defence we have against viruses including flu, Covid-19, meningitis, and measles, mumps and rubella.
Eligible residents are encouraged to protect themselves by making sure they are up-to-date will all their vaccinations.
Vaccines are extremely safe. All vaccines must go through the same regulatory approval process as any medicines to make sure they meet strict safety standards and offer high levels of protection.
The Covid-19 vaccination programme is now entering its third autumn season (autumn 2023). Vaccination helps to protect against severe illness, hospitalisations and deaths from Covid-19.
The programme starts with care home residents and those at risk from 11 September.
The NHS will contact you if your record suggests you may be eligible. Please wait to be invited for your vaccine.
The national booking system opened on 18 September for eligible people to book a Covid-19 vaccine.
The following groups will be offered a Covid-19 booster and flu vaccine this autumn:
- residents in a care home for older adults
- all adults aged 65 years and over
- those aged six months to 64 years in a clinical risk group
- frontline health and social care workers
- people aged 12 to 64 years who are household contacts of people with immunosuppression
- people aged 16 to 64 years who are carers and staff working in care homes for older adults.
Flu vaccines are safe and effective. They're offered every year on the NHS to help protect people at risk of flu and its complications.
The best time to have a flu vaccine is in the autumn before flu starts spreading. But you can get vaccinated later.
You can have an NHS flu vaccine at:
- your GP surgery
- a pharmacy offering the service (if you're aged 18 or over)
- some maternity services if you're pregnant
The children's nasal spray flu vaccine is given to:
- Children aged two or three on 31 August 2023 (born between 1 September 2019 and 31 August 2021)
- all primary school children (Reception to Year 6)
- some secondary school children (Year 7 to Year 11)
- children aged two to 17 with certain long-term health conditions
Babies and children aged six months to two years with certain health conditions will be offered a flu vaccine injection instead of the nasal spray.
The MMR vaccine is a safe and effective combined vaccine.
It protects against three serious illnesses:
- measles
- mumps
- rubella (german measles).
These highly infectious conditions can easily spread between unvaccinated people.
Getting vaccinated is important, as these conditions can also lead to serious problems including meningitis, hearing loss and problems during pregnancy.
The MMR vaccine is given to babies and young children as part of the NHS vaccination schedule.
The first dose is given when children are one, the second at three years and four months.
If you have not had two doses, you can ask your GP practice.