The public has been urged to check whether they qualify for an NHS Covid jab this autumn after pharmacies reported that people who are not eligible have been turning up for appointments. An error in the booking system is thought to have allowed people to book despite no longer meeting the criteria.
Eligibility was tightened this year following advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which sets out guidance for the Government. So who is now eligible?
Who can get a free Covid jab from the NHS?
The groups eligible for a Covid vaccine this year are:
- adults aged 75 years and over
- residents in a care home for older adults
- individuals aged 6 months and over who are immunosuppressed (as defined in the Covid-19 chapter of the Green Book)
Why has eligibility changed?
The JCVI made its recommendations because the focus of the programme is shifting towards targeted vaccination of those at highest risk of serious disease.
This represents a change from the autumn 2024 programme, which also included adults aged 65 to 74 and all those aged six months and over in a clinical risk group.
The eligibility is the same across the four nations of the UK (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland).
Who counts as immunosuppressed?
People with certain health conditions may have weaker immune systems, making them eligible for vaccination.
These include:
- Organ, bone marrow or stem cell transplant patients
- Those being treated with systemic steroids for more than a month
- Those living with HIV
- Those receiving immunosuppressive or immunomodulating biological therapy, including children who are about to receive therapy
- Those undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy
- Those requiring long-term treatment for immunosuppression
- Those with a history of haematological malignancy including chronic leukaemia, lymphomas, and leukaemia
- Those with genetic disorders affecting the immune system
You can check whether you are eligible for a Covid jab here.
