COVID-19 2024 Spring Booster - Who’s eligible?

With protection from earlier COVID-19 vaccinations starting to wane, those who are more likely to become seriously ill from COVID-19 are being offered a free vaccine by the NHS from April 2024.

Current vaccines provide good protection against severe disease and hospitalisation. UKHSA surveillance data relating to last spring’s programme shows that those who received a vaccine were around 50% less likely to be admitted to hospital with COVID-19 from 2 weeks following vaccination, compared to those who remained unvaccinated.

Who's eligible?

• Adults aged 75 years and over.
• Residents in a care home for older adults.
• Individuals aged 6 months and over who have a weakened immune system, as defined in table 3 or 4 in the Green Book.

Household contacts of people who are immunosuppressed will not be offered the spring 2024 booster. The JCVI have focused this seasonal booster on people most at risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19 and, as time passes, may have reduced immunity from their autumn/winter 2023 booster.

What about residents, and staff in care homes?

Whilst those who are a resident in care homes for older adults are eligible, carers and staff in care homes are not eligible. This is because the spring vaccine is targeted towards providing protection to those most vulnerable to severe disease.

When and how to get the booster

• While having your spring vaccine around 6 months after your last dose is the usual timeframe, you can have it as soon as 3 months after a previous COVID-19 vaccine dose.
• If you're eligible, you can get protection from a spring COVID-19 vaccination even if you have not taken up a COVID-19 vaccine offer in the past.
• If you're eligible, you're likely to receive an invitation to book a booster, with details on how you can get the vaccine.
• However, you can come forward rather than waiting for the NHS to contact you this year. You can book online at nhs.uk/get-vaccine now! If you or someone you know can’t get online, book by calling 119 free of charge, where a translator is available if needed.
• It is important that everyone who is eligible takes up the offer this spring before the vaccination programme closes on 30 June 2024.

Further Information by Country

• England
• Scotland
• Northern Ireland
• Wales