Skip to main content
N I Direct government services

Main navigation

  • Home
  • News
  • Contacts
  • Help
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • RSS
Live life COVID-aware

Get a COVID-19 vaccination in Northern Ireland

The COVID-19 booster and flu vaccine are available for eligible people in Northern Ireland.

Autumn booster programme

The start date of this year’s autumn flu and COVID-19 vaccination programmes was brought forward, as a precautionary measure, following the identification of a new COVID-19 variant.

The vaccination programme, which helps protect Northern Ireland against deadly viruses ahead of winter, will continue into the winter.

You will be offered the COVID-19 booster vaccine if you are:

  • a resident or staff member in a care home
  • aged 65 years and over
  • aged six months to 64 years in a clinical risk group
  • a frontline health and social care worker
  • aged 12 to 64 years who are household contacts of people with immunosuppression
  • a carer, aged 16 to 64 years
  • pregnant

If you are eligible for vaccination against COVID-19 or flu this autumn and winter, you should make yourself aware of your own GP surgery’s or community pharmacist’s vaccination arrangements and work with them to get vaccinated.

You may be eligible for both the flu and the COVID-19 Autumn booster vaccines.

If you're offered both vaccines, it's safe to have them at the same time.

More information about the flu vaccine and who can get it is available at:

  • Flu vaccine

Where to get your COVID-19 vaccine

GP surgery

You can get the COVID-19 vaccine from your GP surgery if you are:

  • aged 65 years and over
  • aged 16 to 64 and in a clinical risk group
  • aged 16 to 64 and a carer
  • aged 16 to 64 and a household contact of someone who is immunosuppressed
  • pregnant

Community pharmacy

You can get the COVID-19 vaccine from a community pharmacy if you are:

  • a care home resident or staff
  • a frontline HSC worker
  • aged 65 years and over
  • aged 18 to 64 and in a clinical risk group
  • aged 18 to 64 and a carer
  • aged 18 to 64 and a household contact of someone who is immunosuppressed
  • pregnant

To find out which community pharmacies near you are offering vaccinations, put in your postcode at the link below:

  • Find a vaccination clinic

HSC Trusts

HSC Trusts are offering the COVID-19 vaccines to:

  • frontline HSC workers
  • those aged six months to 15 years of age in a clinical risk group
  • those aged 12 to 15 years of age who are carers
  • those aged 12 to 15 years of age who are household contacts of immune suppressed
  • pregnant women through maternity services

Infant programme

The COVID-19 vaccine is now being offered to children aged six months to four years at higher risk of coronavirus, in line with the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advice.

Children at serious risk from the complications of coronavirus infection include:

  • those with severe neurodisabilities
  • those whose immune systems don’t work as well (immunosuppression)
  • those with profound and multiple or severe learning disabilities (including Down’s syndrome) and those on the learning disability register
  • those with long term serious conditions affecting their health.

Some parents may receive a letter or a phone call to invite their child to an HSC Trust clinic for vaccination.

If you receive an invitation letter, it will explain how to make the appointment for your child.

Vaccinations are being offered at HSC Trust vaccine clinics throughout Northern Ireland.

The leaflet to support parents of children at serious risk from the complications of coronavirus infection is available at:

  • COVID-19: A guide for parents of children six months to four years of age at high risk

Young people aged five to 17 years old

Some young people are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine if they are:

  • aged five to 17 years old and in a clinical risk group
  • aged 12 to 17 year olds and are carers
  • aged 12 to 17 year olds and live with an immunosuppressed person

Further information is available at:

  • COVID-19 vaccination - a guide for children and young people
  • What to expect after your COVID-19 vaccination - advice for children and young people

Pregnant or believe to be pregnant

If you are pregnant, you are encouraged to have your booster jabs as soon as possible to help better protect yourself and your baby from any serious consequences from COVID-19.

If you test positive for COVID-19 you should wait four weeks after the infection before getting a vaccination.

Further advice is available at:

  • Pregnant - have your COVID-19 vaccinations

For advice about getting the COVID-19 vaccination, you can speak to your obstetric provider or midwife.

Pregnant women can receive their vaccination at their GP, local community pharmacy or Health and Social Care Trust.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) has produced detailed questions and answers on COVID-19 vaccines, pregnancy and breastfeeding at this link:

  • COVID-19 vaccines, pregnancy and breastfeeding

There is absolutely no evidence that any of the vaccines can affect the fertility of women or men.

First doses of COVID-19 vaccine

If you have never received a COVID-19 vaccine, you can receive a vaccine during the autumn booster programme,if you fall into one of the eligible groups listed above. 

Exceptional circumstances

If you require the COVID-19 vaccine for specific medical or travel purposes you should contact your local Health and Social Care Trust directly for further information.

  • Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
  • Northern Health and Social Care Trust
  • South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust
  • Southern Health and Social Care Trust
  • Western Health and Social Care Trust

Further information about the vaccine

The Public Health Agency has developed a range of leaflets and a frequently asked questions section:

  • COVID-19 vaccination programme

Types of vaccine

There are many different types of coronavirus vaccines.

The vaccines that will be administered during the Autumn 2023 programme include:

  • COVID-19 Pfizer BioNTech bivalent vaccine (Comirnaty® Original/Omicron BA.4-5)
  • COVID-19 Pfizer BioNTech monovalent vaccine (Comirnaty® XBB 1.5
  • COVID-19 Sanofi Pasteur vaccine (VidPrevtyn Beta®)   

Vaccine safety

The vaccines have met strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness set out by the independent Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

More information is available at:

  • Coronavirus (COVID-19): vaccine safety

Proof of vaccination

If you need proof of vaccination, information is available at:

  • COVID certificates

For the latest travel advice go to:

  • Coronavirus (COVID-19): travel advice

 

Share this page Share on Facebook (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share on Twitter (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share by email (external link opens in a new window / tab)

Health advice

  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine research registry
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19): testing and stay at home advice
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19): vaccine safety
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19):  guidance for people at higher risk from COVID-19
  • Get a COVID-19 vaccination in Northern Ireland
  • Symptoms of respiratory infections including COVID-19
  • Treatments for coronavirus (COVID-19)

Translation help

How to translate this page

Help improve this page - send your feedback

What do you want to do?
Report a problem
Which problem did you find on this page? (Tick all that apply)

Messages

You will not receive a reply. We will consider your feedback to help improve the site.

Don't include any personal or financial information, for example National Insurance, credit card numbers, or phone numbers.

What is your question about?

What to do next

Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk 

If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit.  Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

Carer's Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912
Email 
dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

Call 0800 587 2750 
Email 
customerservice.unit@communities-ni.gov.uk

Disability Living Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912 
Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Employment and Support Allowance

Call 0800 587 1377

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

Personal Independence Payment

Call 0800 587 0932

If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service.

For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service.

For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit.

If you can’t find the information you’re looking for in the Coronavirus (COVID-19) section, then for queries about:

  • Restrictions or regulations — contact the Department of Health
  • Travel advice (including self-isolation) — contact the Department of Health
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations — contact the Department of Health or Public Health Agency

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk and for queries about your certificate, email covidcertni@hscni.net.

For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email ani@accessni.gov.uk

Application and payment queries can be emailed to ema_ni@slc.co.uk

For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency.

For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk

For queries about the High Street Spend Local Scheme,  email HSSS.mail@economy-ni.gov.uk.

For queries about:

  • Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN
    contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea
     
  • Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing
    contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk.

 

For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email dcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service.

For queries or advice about rates, email LPSCustomerTeam@lpsni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about  60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink.

If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly.  We don't have access to information about you.

Related sites

  • gov.uk
  • nibusinessinfo.co.uk

Links to supporting information

  • Accessibility statement
  • Crown copyright
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy
  • Cookies
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • RSS