Vaccines are vital for protecting the population of Kent and Medway; vaccines are the best defence we have against viruses including flu, Covid-19, meningitis, and measles, mumps and rubella.
Eligible residents are encouraged to protect themselves by making sure they are up-to-date with all their vaccinations.
Vaccines are extremely safe. All vaccines must go through the same regulatory approval process as any medicines to make sure they meet strict safety standards and offer high levels of protection.
Vaccine helpline
If you need help with anything relating to vaccines, phone: 03000 810 007
The helpline is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm
The autumn/winter 2024/25 Covid-19 vaccination campaign is now open.
The groups to be offered a Covid-19 and vaccine are:
• residents in a care home for older adults
• all adults aged 65 years and over
• people aged six months to 64 years in a clinical risk group
• frontline health and social care workers and staff working in care homes for older adults in autumn 2024.
The national booking system opened on 23 September with appointments available from 3 October.
You can book an appointment online, via the NHS App or by calling 119 for free. Alternatively, find a walk-in clinic on our map.
Flu vaccines are safe and effective. They're offered every year on the NHS to help protect people at risk of flu and its complications.
The best time to have a flu vaccine is in the autumn before flu starts spreading.
The seasonal flu campaign runs from September to March. The autumn/winter 2024/25 vaccination campaign is now open.
You can have a free NHS flu vaccine at:
- your GP surgery
- a pharmacy offering the service (if you're aged 18 or over)
- some maternity services, if you're pregnant
- catch-up community clinics (for children).
Eligible groups are:
- pregnant women
- all children aged two or three years on 31 August 2024
- primary school aged children (from Reception to Year 6)
- secondary school aged children (from Year 7 to Year 11)
- all children in clinical risk groups aged from six months to less than 18 years
- those aged 65 years and over
- those aged 18 years to under 65 years in clinical risk groups (as defined by the Green Book)
- those in long-stay residential care homes
- carers in receipt of carer’s allowance, or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person
- close contacts of immunocompromised individuals
- frontline workers in a social care setting without an employer led occupational health scheme including those working for a registered residential care or nursing home, registered domiciliary care providers, voluntary managed hospice providers and those that are employed by those who receive direct payments (personal budgets) or Personal Health budgets, such as Personal Assistants.
The children's nasal spray flu vaccine is given in schools by a community immunisation team.
Babies and children aged six months to two years with certain health conditions will be offered a flu vaccine injection instead of the nasal spray.
Find out more and book a community clinic for children aged two or three, primary school children and secondary school children.
The MMR vaccine is a safe and effective combined vaccine.
It protects against three serious illnesses:
- measles
- mumps
- rubella (German measles).
These highly infectious conditions can easily spread between unvaccinated people.
Getting vaccinated is important, as these conditions can also lead to serious problems including meningitis, hearing loss and problems during pregnancy.
The MMR vaccine is given to babies and young children as part of the NHS vaccination schedule.
The first dose is given when children are one, the second at three years and four months.
If you have not had two doses, you can ask your GP practice.
