Coronavirus – COVID-19
For the latest information on managing healthcare staff with symptoms of a respiratory infection or a positive COVID-19 test result click here
Please see latest letter received from NHSE on 26th June 2025 explaining arrangements for flu and covid-19 vaccinations for 2025/26,
Eligibility for COVID-19 Vaccines
The announced and authorised cohorts eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine in AW 2025/26 are:
• Residents in a care home for older adults
•All adults aged 75 years and over
•Persons aged 6 months and over who are immunosuppressed, as defined in tables 3 and 4 of the COVID-19 chapter of the Green Book (here).
Programme dates
As stated in the National Flu Immunisation Programme letter, flu vaccinations:
•Pregnant women and all eligible children will start from 1st September 2025. For school aged cohorts, vaccination in schools should be completed by 12 December 2025 with further catch-up opportunities as appropriate.
•All other adult flu cohorts will start from 1 October 2025 and will run until the 31 March 2026. Although, we anticipate that the majority of vaccinations should be completed by the end of November 2025 to provide the best possible protection going into winter.
•The COVID-19 programme will run from 1 October 2025 to 31 Jan 2025. However, the majority of COVID-19 vaccinations should be completed by 19 December 2025
National Booking Service (NBS)
To support preparedness and delivery:
•NBS will be opened for participating sites to post flu and COVID-19 vaccination appointments from 18 August 2025.
•It will be open for bookings from the public from 1 September 2025 for vaccination from 1 October 2025.
•The last available appointment date on NBS will be 31 January 2026 for COVID-19; NBS will remain open for flu only appointments until 31 March 2026.
What contractors and pharmacy teams can continue to do
Guidance for pharmacies has been published by NHSE&I, which is subject to review as the situation changes.
Keep up to date with developments by regularly checking the information on COVID-19 on GOV.UK, the NHSE&I Coronavirus Primary Care webpage and checking your NHSmail shared mailbox on a regular basis for updates.
