COVID-19 and Influenza Vaccinations
Full details of the winter 2025 COVID-19 and Influenza vaccine programmes are outlined in the CMO’s letter. Full details of the NHS Lothian programme are available on the internet:
For the winter programmes, those eligible for COVID-19 or flu vaccinations are contacted via letter, text, or email with an appointment or details of how to book.
Booking Options available:
- Book / Rearrange online
- Call the National Vaccination Helpline on 0800 030 8013
ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION
INFLUENZA
Adult Flu
Eligibility remains identical to winter 2024/25 and applies to:
- All those aged 65 years and over
- All those living in long-stay residential care homes or other long-stay care facilities
- All those aged 18 years to under 65 years in defined risk groups. This includes:
- those in clinical at-risk groups set out in Influenza: the Green Book, chapter 19 – GOV.UK
- those experiencing homelessness
- those experiencing substance misuse
- asylum seekers living in Home Office hotel or B&B accommodation
- all prisoners within the Scottish prison estate
- pregnant women
- Frontline health and social care workers
- Non-frontline NHS workers
- Poultry workers & bird handlers (see Annex A for eligibility criteria)
- Unpaid carers and young carers
- Household contacts of those with immunosuppression.
Full details on NHS Inform – Adult Flu Vaccine.
Children and Flu:
Flu eligibility also remains the same as for the 2024-5 programme with vaccination offered to:
- All children aged from 6 months to 18 years in clinical risk groups (if not eligible in accordance with bullets above)
- All children aged 2-5 years not yet at school (age as of 01/09/2025)
- All primary school children (primary one to primary seven)
- All secondary school pupils (years one to six).
Children under 2 years old are given the injectable vaccine, with those aged 2-17 given the nasal spray unless there is a contraindication.
Please see NHS Inform – Child Flu Vaccine for more detail.
COVID-19
COVID-19 vaccination eligibility has changed since 2024-5. It will be offered (with flu vaccine) to:
- All adults aged 75 years and over
- Residents in care homes for older adults
- Individuals aged 6 months and over who are immunosuppressed (as defined in tables 3 and 4 in the COVID-19 chapter of the Green Book).
The following groups are no longer eligible (unless they fall into any of the three eligible groups listed above):
- Those aged 65-74
- Those in a clinical risk group (as defined in tables 3 and 4 in the COVID-19 chapter of the Green Book) including pregnant women
- Frontline health and social care workers.
C.M. & K.McL. 15-09-25
