Vaccines help to protect you from serious and possibly life-threatening infections. They have saved millions of lives.
Vaccines safely ‘teach’ your immune system how to create specific antibodies. If you then come into contact with a disease, your immune system can fight the infection without becoming ill.
Do
- Undergo rigorous safety testing during development and are continually monitored for side effects.
- Help protect you from many serious and potentially life-threatening diseases
- Help protect the people around you – by stopping diseases spreading to people who cannot have vaccines such as babies who are too young to be vaccinated
- Sometimes cause mild side effects such as a sore arm or a mild fever for up to 2-3 days
- Have the potential to eradicate disease from the population – if enough people are vaccinated
Don’t
- Do not overload or weaken the immune system – you can have several vaccinations at a time to reduce the number of injections needed
- Do not contain any ingredients that cause harm – if you have allergies please speak to your GP
- Do not cause autism – there is no evidence to show a link between the MMR vaccination and autism
Adults
The following vaccinations are offered to adults who are at higher risk of complications.
- Shingles
You are eligible for the shingles vaccine when you turn 65. You'll be offered 2 doses of the vaccine which are given between 6 and 12 months apart.
- Pneumococcal
The pneumococcal vaccine helps protect against serious illnesses like pneumonia and meningitis. The risk of serious infection and hospitalisation increases with age. It is therefore recommended to have one dose of vaccine at the age of 65.
Winter vaccinations
The following vaccinations are offered to people who are higher risk of developing more severe symptoms and complications including pneumonia and hospitalisation.
- Flu
It is recommended to get the flu vaccination every year. This includes adults aged 65 and over, younger adults with certain medical conditions (such as lung conditions), pregnant women, primary school children and carers.
- COVID-19
This is offered if you are pregnant, aged 65 and over, a younger adult with higher risk of complications because of a health condition or treatment, or a care home resident.
Your GP will likely contact you to arrange the above vaccinations. You could get a letter, text, phone call or email. However, if you know you are due for a vaccination, you can speak to your GP surgery to book the appointment.
Children
If you know your child is due for a vaccination, you can speak to your GP surgery to book the appointment. You do not need to wait to hear from them. The vaccine could be given at your GP surgery or a local child health clinic.
Vaccines for school age children are given by Vaccination UK in Harrow. A consent form will be sent to parents via the school beforehand and, for those that consent, the vaccination will take place on the school premises.
If your child has missed their school vaccination, they might be able to get one at a Catch-up Clinic.
See the full childhood immunisation schedule.
For information on vaccinations for babies, children and adults, including why they’re important and how to get them, go to: Vaccinations - NHS
Pregnancy
You will be offered a number of vaccines while you are pregnant. Below is a shortlist, or see the full list on the NHS site - vaccinations in pregnancy
- Flu
During pregnancy, your immune system is weakened and you are more likely to catch flu complications (such as pneumonia), or be admitted to hospital. The vaccine helps to reduce the risk of this happening.
- Whooping cough
It is best to have your vaccine between 16 and 32 weeks into your pregnancy. However, you can still have it later. If you are 20 weeks pregnant and have not been offered the whooping cough vaccine, contact your midwife or GP surgery.
- Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
RSV is a common virus that causes coughs and colds. RSV usually gets better by itself, but it can be serious for babies, causing lung infections (including pneumonia), which can make it difficult for babies to breathe and feed. These illnesses may need to be treated in hospital.
By having the RSV vaccine when you are pregnant, your baby is less likely to get severe RSV for the first 6 months after birth. You should be offered the RSV vaccine when you are 28 weeks pregnant, however you can have it up until you go into labour.
- COVID-19
If you're pregnant, or think you might be, it's recommended you get vaccinated against COVID-19 to protect you and your baby. You're at higher risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19 if you're pregnant. It's safe to have the vaccine during any stage of pregnancy, from the first few weeks up to your expected due date.
None of these contain live viruses and they cannot give you or your baby the active infection.
Travel vaccinations
If you are planning to travel outside the UK you may need to be vaccinated against some serious diseases found in other parts of the world.
The following travel vaccines are available free on the NHS from your GP surgery:
• polio (given as a combined diphtheria/tetanus/polio jab)
• typhoid
• hepatitis A
• cholera
These vaccines are free because they protect against diseases thought to represent the greatest risk to public health if they were brought into the country
Please contact your GP or pharmacist or see the Travel Health Pro website for more information.