Your complete spring vaccinations guide, from Saga, 2026 04 01

[Colin Howard]

Greetings,

This is definitely, ***NOT*** an April fool!

I'll put in for my covid now almost reaching 77, I'll put in for flu when
the details are locally released. I'll enquire about shingles, never had
this but did receive the inoculations a couple of years ago.

The experts explain whether you still need a Covid-19 jab, who is now
eligible for RSV protection and if it's a good idea to have a meningitis
vaccination.
By Laura Silverman | Published - 30 Mar 2026

The Covid-19 spring vaccine campaign runs from 13 April to 30 June 2026. You're
eligible if you are 75 and over, live in a care home for older people, or if
you are aged over six months and have impaired immunity.

Last year, people were slower booking their jabs than they were in 2024. But
Covid often spikes in the summer, so it's important to get the vaccine if
you're eligible.

It's also a good time to check if you're up to date with other vaccines to
which you are entitled.

Why do you need another COVID-19 jab now?

The Covid-19 virus is still around. The good news is, hospitalisations in
England this winter were lower than last year. Yet with weekly cases peaking
at 700 to 800, it hasn't gone away.

"It's important to get your booster vaccinations," says Rebecca Drummond,
professor of immunology and immunotherapy at the University of Birmingham.
"This is because immunity to the virus causing Covid wanes over time and
because of the changes which happen within viruses each season, requiring a
new immune response to protect us.

"Vaccine boosters help keep your immunity topped up and to the most recent
forms of viruses. This is particularly important in older people since the
immune system doesn't generate new immune responses as effectively as we
age. Vaccines can help with this."

The Covid-19 vaccine generally lasts for about six months, so you'll need a
booster even if you had one in the autumn. Covid can be much more severe if
you're over 75. You may end up in hospital.

"Covid is not just a winter virus," says Professor Victoria Tzortziou Brown,
chair of the Royal College of GPs (RCGP). "While many people associate it
with colder months (infections tend to rise over the winter), we have seen
waves of infection at different points throughout the year, including during
the summer. Therefore, it remains important, eligible patients, who will be
most at risk from Covid, come forward for vaccination when they are
invited."

What protection does the Covid-19 jab give?

Studies from recent Covid vaccination schemes have shown that those who
received a vaccine were around 43% less likely to be admitted to hospital
with the virus, from two weeks after getting the jab, compared to those who
didn't get vaccinated.

However, despite these benefits, the overall uptake for the autumn-winter
booster 2025-26 was only 57%. The percentage of people aged 75 and over who
had their spring vaccine last year was only marginally higher at 60%.

People have also become slower at booking their jab.

Do I wait to be called in for the Covid-19 vaccine, or can I book?

To make sure you get the vaccine, be proactive and book rather than waiting
for the NHS to call you.

"The NHS national booking system for the spring Covid-19 vaccine opens
online on 7 April, with vaccinations starting on 13 April," says Doctor
Julie Yates, deputy director for immunisation programmes at the UK Health
Security Agency (UKHSA). "If you can't get online, you can call 119 free of
charge. You don't need to wait for the NHS to contact you. Do book as soon
as possible."

Direct invitations from the NHS to all those who are eligible will go out
during April and May. The last day to get a vaccine will be 30 June.

"Although having your spring vaccine around six months after your last dose
is the usual time frame, you can have it as soon as three months after a
previous Covid-19 dose," says Doctor Yates. "The vaccine will still give you
protection against Covid-19, even if you haven't had a Covid-19 vaccination
in the past."

"If you are eligible, you can still get protection from the Covid-19 vaccine
even if you have not taken up the offer of a Covid-19 vaccination in the
past."

Which types of Covid-19 vaccines is the NHS giving this year?

You will be given a booster dose of a vaccine made by Pfizer/BioNTech or
Moderna. The shots have been updated to target a different Covid-19 variant.
They give slightly higher levels of antibody protection against the more
recent strains of the virus, including Omicron.

When you get your jab, ask if there are any other vaccines you should get.
Some of these protect you against other bacterial and viral bugs. You can
have the RSV vaccine, for example, at the same time as your Covid jab.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)

Lots of people still haven't heard of RSV. "RSV lung infection is less
well-known than Covid-19 or flu, but for older people it can be very serious
and puts thousands of older people in hospital each year with a risk to
life," says Doctor Yates.

An RSV vaccine has been offered to older adults turning 75 since autumn
2024, she explains, with a one-off catch-up offered for everyone aged 75 to
79 last year.

"The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation [a group of experts who
advise UK health departments] has continued to review all new evidence
arising on this vaccination and had recently advised the vaccine is safe and
effective for those aged over 80," Doctor Yates explains. "Following this
advice, from 1 April the vaccine will also be offered to anyone aged over
80."

The vaccine protects against RSV, which is a common cause of coughs and
colds, as well as serious complications, including pneumonia. The virus
affects people of all ages but is most severe for people over 75 and those
with weakened immune systems.

You can have the jab at any time as it's a year-round infection.

"The evidence is clear: getting vaccinated significantly reduces your risk
of ending up in hospital with RSV," says Doctor Yates.

It is especially important to get your jab now because cases are on the
rise. "RSV infection rates went down during the Covid pandemic as a result
of lockdowns and reduced social mixing, but have risen again," says
Professor Drummond. "This could be a problem because reduced exposure to RSV
during the pandemic means our immunity may have waned and be on the low
side. The vaccines will help counteract this and boost immunity to the virus
in the population."

As of early 2026, about two-thirds of eligible adults have been vaccinated.
The jab is already making a difference, according to a UK study by the UK
Health Security Agency with Nottingham University Hospitals and other NHS
trusts. For adults aged 75-79, it cut the risk of hospitalisation by around
82%.

It is especially effective for those with lung conditions or weakened immune
systems, where the stakes are higher. The protective effects are predicted
to grow as more people get their jabs.

Flu vaccine

Flu can cause serious complications such as pneumonia and bronchitis in
older people and those who are immunocompromised. It can also make existing
conditions worse.

This is one for your diary later in the year. The next flu vaccine programme
for eligible adults opens on 1 October. It is expected to run until the end
of March 2027.

"While flu typically starts to circulate in December, this past winter we
saw an early flu season, so it's best to get the vaccine as soon as you can
as it takes up to 14 days to give you protection," says Doctor Yates.

You're eligible for the flu vaccine if you're aged over 65, live long-term
in a residential care home or are in a clinical at-risk group (this includes
people with heart, kidney or liver disease, diabetes, stroke or TIAs, chest
complaints, a BMI of 40 or more and long-term steroid use). You're also
eligible if you're a carer for an elderly or disabled person or a household
contact of someone who is immunocompromised.

You can have the flu vaccine at the same time as the Covid-19 vaccine or the
shingles vaccine. However, it's not usually given at the same time as the
RSV vaccine.

Pneumococcal vaccine

Older adults should also consider a few other jabs. "The pneumococcal
vaccine protects against pneumococcal infection," says Doctor Yates. "This
is one of the most common causes of pneumonia. [It] can also have other
serious complications including meningitis [an infection in the brain and
spinal cord] and sepsis [also known as septicaemia, a bloodstream
infection]."

You're eligible for this one if you're 65 or above, or if you're younger and
have a long-term health condition such as a weakened immune system, diabetes
or lung, kidney, heart or liver disease. You generally need one dose for
lifelong protection, although people at higher risk of getting seriously ill
may need boosters. It usually takes two to three weeks for you to become
protected.

"If you are aged 65 or over and have not received this vaccine, please
contact your GP for more information," says Doctor Yates.

Meningococcal vaccine (MenB/MenACWY)

With the recent MenB outbreak in Kent, you may be wondering if you should
protect yourself with a vaccine.

In the UK, meningococcal vaccines (MenACWY and MenB) are mainly given to
children and teenagers, so you may well not have been vaccinated as part of
routine care.

For older adults, vaccination is usually only advised if you're at higher
risk. This might be because you have a weakened immune system, no spleen or
certain medical conditions, or if you're travelling to higher-risk areas,
including parts of Africa, where MenACWY is recommended. Unless you're at
higher risk, the jab is not available on the NHS.

Meningococcal disease is rare but can become life-threatening very quickly.
Early symptoms can feel like flu but can rapidly progress to a rash, neck
stiffness or confusion. It is vital that you get fast medical help if you
suspect you might have it.

The vaccines are generally safe and effective and your GP or travel clinic
can advise if you'd benefit, particularly before travelling.

"Older people tend to have weaker immune systems than younger people in the
sense it's harder for the immune system to generate new immune responses as
we age," says Professor Drummond. "This makes older people more likely to
get infections. The bacteria causing meningitis are typically seen more
commonly in younger people, partly because of increased social mixing in
this group, but the infection can affect anyone. We don't really know why
some people [develop] meningitis and others do not.

"The vaccine that protects against MenB is good at preventing people from
becoming seriously ill but appears less effective at preventing
transmission," she says. "More data is needed on how useful this vaccine is
across different age groups."

Shingles vaccine

Shingles is a painful rash caused by the herpes zoster virus, the same virus
as chickenpox and cold sores. It stays dormant in the body but can
reactivate decades later.

Half of all cases of shingles occur in people aged 60 or over. They are at
higher risk of developing serious complications such as postherpetic
neuralgia, a painful nerve condition.

"The shingles vaccine is offered on the NHS to older adults and to people
with a severely weakened immune system," says Professor Tzortziou Brown. "We'd
encourage those who are eligible to come forward when invited as shingles
can be very painful and may, in some cases, lead to serious complications,
particularly for our most vulnerable patients."

Eligibility changed a couple of years ago. "The shingles vaccine is
currently offered to those turning 65 (as part of the new shingles
programme) and to those aged 70 (as part of the original shingles
programme)," says doctor Yates. As part of the original roll-out, there was
a phased catch-up for people aged 71 to 79.

"The vaccine is also available to those aged 18 and over with a severely
weakened immune system to protect those most vulnerable to complications,"
she adds. If you have a severely weakened immune system, there is no upper
age limit. In this case, your GP may be able to provide you with the vaccine
outside of the current routine programme ages of 65 or 70, adds doctor
Yates. Ask your surgery for details.

Even if you've had shingles before, vaccination is still recommended to help
prevent a recurrence.

The shingles vaccine is given in two doses. You may need to be proactive
about booking your second one.

Written by: Laura Silverman

Laura Silverman is a freelance journalist. She has chased news leads for the
Sun, written arts reviews for The Times, interviewed politicians for Country
Living and edited features for the Telegraph. She has also written books
about wild swimming and Mary Shelley.

Colin Howard, living in Southern England.