Immunisations/Vaccinations

Why do we immunise?

Immunisation saves lives. The World Health Organisation estimates that 3 million lives are saved every year worldwide through immunisation. Parents with worries or queries about immunisations should discuss them with their GP, Health Visitor or Practice Nurse.

Vaccines for adults

There are no vaccinations that are routinely offered on the NHS to all adults. However,  there are several vaccinations that are available on the NHS to adults in certain ‘at risk’ groups. These are:

Seasonal flu vaccine

Flu spreads easily and can cause serious illnesses which need to be treated in hospital. It is not the same as a bad cold. Flu can be much worse. It occurs every year, usually in Winter.  Flu is caused by viruses which change from one year to the next. Each year new vaccines are produced to try and match them. This gives people the best protection.

Protects against: seasonal flu and swine flu
Who needs it:

• All people aged 65 years and over
• all people who have: a heart problem, a chest complaint or breathing difficulties, kidney disease, low immunity, liver disease, has a stroke or TIA, diabeties, a neurological condition or a problem with their spleen
• all pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy irrespective of whether they received the swine flu vaccine last year.
• all people living in residential or nursing home

Flu is a killer (PDF)

Given: every year starting in October/November.
More on the flu jab
More on the swine flu jab

In Winter 2012 Flu vaccines are available from you GP and also some phamarcies. Search NHS Direct to find out if where your nearest pharmacy offering the flu vaccine is .

Pneumococcal vaccine (PPV)

Protects against: some types of pneumococcal infection
Who needs it:

• people aged 65 and over
• people with a long-term health condition

Given at: any time (one injection)
More on the pneumococcal jab

Varicella (chickenpox) vaccine

Protects against: chickenpox
Who needs it:

• healthcare workers who aren't immune
• laboratory staff who could be exposed to varicella
• healthy susceptible contacts of immunocompromised patients

Given at: any age (two doses given 4 to 8 weeks apart).
More on the varicella vaccine

Hepatitis B (hep B) vaccine

Protects against: hepatitis B
Who needs it:

• injecting drug users (including their partners and children and other people living with them)
• people who change sexual partners frequently (including men who have sex with men, and male and female sex workers)
• close family contacts of someone with a chronic hepatitis B infection
• individuals receiving regular blood products, and their carers
• people who have chronic kidney failure
• people who have chronic liver disease
• inmates of custodial institutions and some prison service staff
• people who live in residential accommodation for those with learning difficulties
• families that foster or adopt children who may have been at increased risk of hepatitis B infection 
• people travelling to, or going to live in, areas where there's a high or intermediate incidence of hepatitis B
• individuals at occupational risk, such as healthcare workers, laboratory staff and staff of residential and other accommodation for those with learning difficulties, morticians and embalmers, and some emergency services personnel

Given at: any age where needed.
More on the hep B vaccine

BCG

Protects against: tuberculosis (TB).
Who needs it:

• people at occupational risk, such as healthcare workers, some laboratory staff, people who handle animal species that are susceptible to TB, some prison staff, those working in homes for older people, staff of hostels for homeless people and facilities for refugees and asylum seekers
• previously unvaccinated tuberculin-negative contacts of cases of respiratory TB

Given at: any age.
More about the BCG jab

Travel Vaccines

Almost one in four UK holidaymakers don't get any vaccinations despite travelling to areas that have life-threatening infectious disease. It’s not worth skipping travel vaccinations. Infectious diseases can make you very sick, spoil your holiday and even kill you in extreme cases.

The vaccines

Vaccinations currently available for travellers abroad

Which jabs you need for your destination