The NHS National Booking System will open for spring Covid-19 vaccination bookings on Monday (15 April), with those eligible able to book appointments from the following week.

Spring vaccinations will be available until 30 June 2024.

Following Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advice, the following people are eligible for the vaccine this spring:

• adults aged 75 years and over by 30 June 2024
• residents in a care home for older adults
• individuals aged six months and over who are immunosuppressed.

The NHS is sending texts, emails, NHS App messages or letters to those who are eligible, but you do not have to wait for the invite to book.

Booking a spring Covid-19 vaccine appointment is simple and easy if you are eligible:

• Visit nhs.uk/get-vaccine
• Call 119 for free if you can’t get online (translators are available)
• If you are aged 16 and over you can also use the NHS App.

Parents or carers can book a Covid-19 vaccination for children under 16 on their behalf.

Some areas will also offer convenient walk-in options. To find out what is available visit, www.nhs.uk/covid-walk-in.

The NHS will begin to rollout the vaccination to older adults in residential care homes from Monday, as well as eligible housebound people. For those that receive all their care at home, a home visit should be arranged via their GP.

Caroline Reid, Director of Commissioning and Senior Responsible Officer for the Covid-19 vaccination programme, NHS England South East, said: “Getting your Covid-19 vaccine is easy as thousands of appointments are set to become available across the region very soon.

“Protection against Covid-19, either from catching the virus or from a previous vaccination, can fade over time and the virus can change so if you are at higher risk of severe illness, it is important to top up your protection.”

Covid-19 can still be very dangerous and even life-threatening, particularly for older people and those with a weakened immune system. The vaccine gives good protection and helps reduce the risk of serious illness or death, needing to go to hospital, catching and spreading the virus, and protects against different variants.

UKHSA surveillance data on last year’s spring Covid-19 vaccination programme showed that those who received a vaccine were around 50% less likely to be admitted to hospital with Covid-19 for three to four months after vaccination, compared to those who did not receive one.

Anyone eligible who has not received any previous doses should get vaccinated during this year’s spring offer, to help protect against serious illness.

The NHS is also encouraging those eligible to get the shingles vaccine, which is recommended for all adults turning 65, those aged 70 to 79, and those aged 50 and over with a severely weakened immune system. Anyone eligible should be contacted by their GP surgery to book an appointment.

You can find out the latest information about the Covid-19 vaccine at www.nhs.uk/covidvaccination