The winter vaccination programme will begin on Monday 14 September 2026.
Eligibility for winter vaccination is based on advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). This guidance is reviewed every year, so it’s important to check what vaccines you’re eligible for this year.
Flu and coronavirus vaccines
You’ll be offered the flu and coronavirus vaccines this year if you:
- are aged 75 years or over (born on or before 31 March 1952)
- live in a care home for older adults
- are aged six months or over (born on or before 1 March 2026) and have a weakened immune system
If you’re invited for a COVID-19 vaccination, it’s because experts know that your age or health condition mean you’re at higher risk of becoming seriously ill from COVID-19.
Flu vaccine
You’ll be offered the flu vaccine this year if you are:
- aged 65 years or over
- living in long-stay residential care homes or other long-stay care facilities
- aged 18 to 64 and have an eligible health condition
- experiencing homelessness or substance misuse
- an asylum seeker living in a Home Office hotel or B&B accommodation
- living in a Scottish prison
- pregnant
- a frontline health and social care worker
- a non-frontline NHS worker
- an unpaid and young carer
- a household contact of someone with a weakened immune system
- a poultry worker or bird handler
- a cattle or swine worker
Why should I get the flu vaccine?
If you’re offered the flu vaccine, you’ve got a reason to get it.
Flu hits hard, and for some, it hits harder. Last winter, nearly 5,000 people were admitted to hospital for flu among those aged 18 years and over in Scotland.
If you’re eligible for the flu vaccine you will receive a letter, email or text with appointment details or information on how to book one.
Choosing how you’d like to be contacted
You can now update your contact details and your preferred method of contact on the online portal.
If you select to receive future correspondence about your COVID-19 and flu vaccines by email or SMS, then you will no longer receive future letters with this information.
Attending your vaccination appointment
Travelling to your appointment
Use the Traveline Scotland website to plan your journey and to get advice on using public transport safely.
Traveline has a phone number for vaccination-related public transport enquiries, which is staffed 24 hours, 7 days per week: 0141 465 1878
If you have a specific transport issue in relation to getting to your vaccination, you can also call 01563 826540 for advice.
Interpretation services
For those whose first or preferred language is not English, it is the responsibility of NHS Ayrshire & Arran staff to provide interpretation support for individuals attending for vaccination.
Interpretation support is available for those who speak community languages or those who are deaf and use British Sign Language (BSL).
Spoken community languages
Language interpretation support for spoken community languages can be provided via Language Line telephone interpreting services. When an individual attends the vaccination clinic, they can request support via Language Line and the member of staff will arrange this.
British Sign Language (BSL)
In order for a BSL interpreter to attend with an individual at the vaccination centres, contact should be made in advance to request an interpreter to attend. The contact number for this is 0333 344 7712 and staff will arrange this with our service provider Sign Language Interactions in advance of attending.
Recently changed address?
Please update your address details with your GP practice. This will help to ensure your scheduled appointment for vaccination reaches you at the correct location.
If you have missed your vaccination appointment because of this, you can reschedule your appointment online or by calling the National Vaccination Contact Centre on 0800 030 8013.
Appointments are generally allocated at the closest vaccination centre to your home postcode.
Vaccinations for housebound patients
NHS Ayrshire & Arran’s Mass Vaccination Service will begin delivering vaccinations to those who are housebound from Monday 14 September 2026.
For those eligible citizens who are housebound, the Mass Vaccination Service will contact you to arrange a home visit. This winter, we aim to complete all housebound vaccinations by early December 2026.
If you are housebound and have not been contacted by Friday 20 November 2026, please call the National Vaccination Contact Centre on 0800 030 8013.