Flu vaccinations

The flu vaccine is available to people aged two and above. Some children under two can also have the flu vaccine if they’re at high risk of getting flu. Find out more about the children’s flu vaccine on the NHS website. Adults need to book appointments for people under the age of 18. A legal guardian should also attend the appointment with them.

Some Well pharmacies also offer a private nasal vaccination service for people under the age of 18. Contact your local Well pharmacy for more information – please note nasal vaccination appointments cannot be made online.

If you’ve had a serious allergic reaction to a flu vaccine before, you’re advised not to have a flu vaccination. Speak to your GP if you’re unsure.

We provide free NHS flu vaccinations to people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. We may be able to provide a free NHS flu jab service in selected Scottish Well pharmacies. Please check with your local Scottish pharmacy.

If you're booking on behalf of someone under the age of 18, they won't be eligible for a free NHS vaccination in a Well pharmacy.

Eligibility for free NHS flu vaccines may vary between countries.

NHS flu vaccinations in England

For the 2024/25 flu season, the following groups can access a free NHS flu jab:

• People aged 65 and over
• People who are aged 6 months to 64 years and in a clinical risk group. Please note under 18s in this group cannot book a free NHS flu vaccine in one of our pharmacies. You should contact your GP to arrange an appointment for an NHS flu vaccination.
• People aged 2 to 17 can have a private vaccination with Well, but you must contact your pharmacy if you want to book a nasal vaccination for your child.
• Pregnant women
• People in long-stay residential care homes
• Carers
• Close contacts of people who have a weakened immune system
• Frontline health or social care workers who do not have employer-led occupational health schemes and who are employed by: a registered residential care or nursing home; a registered domiciliary care provider; a voluntary managed hospice provider; or Direct Payment (personal budgets) or Personal Health Budgets, such as Personal Assistants.

NHS flu vaccinations in Wales

Find our more about about eligibility in Wales here. The NHS service in Wales is funded by NHS Wales.

NHS flu vaccinations in Scotland

Learn more about eligibility in Scotland here – only some Scottish Well pharmacies participate in the NHS service. If you are eligible for an NHS flu jab in Scotland and your local pharmacy does not offer the service, you can get jabbed at your GP surgery. Otherwise, we offer a private service which you can book online.

NHS flu vaccine in Northern Ireland

Learn more about eligibility in Northern Ireland here – only some Northern Ireland Well pharmacies participate in the NHS service. If you are eligible for an NHS flu jab in Northern Ireland and your local pharmacy does not offer the service, you may be able to get jabbed at your GP surgery. Otherwise, we offer a private service which you can book online!

For more information about free NHS flu vaccines in Northern Ireland and Scotland, please contact your local Well pharmacy.

Well Pharmacy only uses enhanced vaccines that are in line with the recommendations from the JCVI, for both our NHS and private services.

The vaccine administered will depend on your eligibility and vaccine availability; speak to your pharmacist ahead of your appointment for more information.

We offer an egg-free vaccine for patients with egg allergies. If you have questions or concerns about egg allergies or other allergies, please consult your Well pharmacy team for more information.

You can book flu vaccination appointments for up to four people. You will all attend the same appointment and your group will need to arrive at the pharmacy at the same time.

Please note:

• If any other people in your booking are aged 18 or over, you will need to have their consent to book the appointment on their behalf.
• If anyone in your booking is under 18, you will need to provide their legal guardian’s details and they must be accompanied to the appointment by their legal guardian.

Some Well pharmacies offer a private nasal vaccination service for people under the age of 18. Please note nasal vaccination appointments cannot be made online. For more information about nasal vaccinations for your child, contact your nearest pharmacy.

Yes, you can book for other people if you’re not getting a vaccine. We will ask for your details and contact information to manage the booking.

Your booking confirmation email contains a link to reschedule or cancel if you’re not able to attend your appointment.

Flu is an illness caused by an infection from the influenza virus. The virus infects your nose, throat and sometimes your lungs.

Flu is highly contagious and spreads easily between people, particularly in winter as the influenza virus lives and grows best in cold and dry conditions.

Flu can cause symptoms similar to a cold, but they tend to come on faster and can be more severe. Symptoms will vary for each person, but common flu symptoms include:

• headaches
• sore throat
• stuffy or runny nose
• persistent, dry cough
• chills and sweats
• high temperature (fever)
• aching muscles
• tiredness
• loss of appetite
• diarrhoea
• feeling and being sick.

Most people recover from flu in around one week without any complications.

However, flu can be more serious for some people. It can also cause dangerous complications, like pneumonia and heart problems, and can be fatal in severe cases.

People who are most at risk of becoming seriously ill with flu include:

• adults over 65
• children under five
• pregnant women
• people with a long-term medical condition, like diabetes, heart or lung disease
• people with a weakened immune system, for example due to chemotherapy or HIV
• people who are frequently exposed to flu, like healthcare workers.

If you have flu symptoms and you're at risk of becoming seriously ill or your symptoms don't improve after seven days, call 111 or visit NHS 111 online.

Getting the flu vaccine is an effective way to protect yourself and others from flu. It’s given as a single injection, usually into your upper arm.

The vaccine helps your immune system produce antibodies that protect against the influenza virus. If you do get flu after having the vaccine, you will usually experience milder symptoms and recover quicker.

It can take between 10 and 14 days for the vaccine to start working.

The virus that causes flu rapidly mutates and evolves into new strains. Each year, experts from organisations like the World Health Organization identify which strains pose the greatest risk in the upcoming flu season, and a vaccine is developed to protect against those strains before each flu season starts.

We also offer a corporate flu jab service. Learn more.