Some people with chronic health conditions are at higher risk of serious illness from infections and are eligible for additional vaccines to help protect them.
If you have any of the conditions listed below, you could be eligible for the following vaccinations:
- Covid-19
- flu
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Men ACWY
- MenB
- pneumococcal
- shingles
Please discuss vaccines with your doctor or your hospital consultant.
Chronic respiratory disease
This includes people with Cystic Fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic bronchitis and emphysema. For flu, those with asthma, who require continuous or repeated use of inhaled or systemic steroids or with previous exacerbations requiring hospital admission, are eligible. For the Covid-19 vaccine, people who have poorly controlled asthma are eligible – defined as more than two courses of oral corticosteroids in the preceding 24 months, or on maintenance oral corticosteroids or more than one hospital admission for asthma in the preceding 24 months.
Chronic heart disease and vascular disease
Including congenital heart disease, hypertension with cardiac complications, chronic heart failure, individuals needing regular medication and/or follow-up for ischaemic heart disease. This includes individuals with atrial fibrillation, peripheral vascular disease or a history of venous thromboembolism.
Chronic kidney disease
Chronic kidney disease at stage three, four or five, chronic kidney failure, nephrotic syndrome, kidney transplantation.
Chronic liver disease
Including cirrhosis, biliary atresia, chronic hepatitis.
Diabetes and other endocrine conditions
Including Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes and Addison’s disease.
Splenic dysfunction or asplenia
This also includes conditions such as homozygous sickle cell disease, thalassemia major and coeliac syndrome that may lead to splenic dysfunction
Chronic neurological disease
Including stroke, transient ischaemic attack (TIA). This group also includes individuals with cerebral palsy, severe or profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) including all those on the learning disability register, Down’s syndrome, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease and related or similar conditions; or hereditary and degenerative disease of the nervous system or muscles; or severe neurological disability.
Immunosuppression
If you are immunosuppressed due to disease or treatment, then you are eligible for the flu and Covid-19 vaccines. You may also be eligible for the shingles vaccine. This includes patients undergoing chemotherapy leading to immunosuppression, patients undergoing radical radiotherapy, solid organ transplant recipients, bone marrow or stem cell transplant recipients, people living with HIV (at all stages), multiple myeloma or genetic disorders affecting the immune system. People who may require long-term immunosuppressive treatment are also eligible, including those with rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus and psoriasis.
If you have previously had blood cancer including leukaemia, lymphoma, and myeloma, then you may be eligible for the vaccines.
Morbid obesity
Adults with a Body Mass Index ≥40 kg/m2.