World Immunisation Week in 2025 will be from April 24 to April 30. The theme for 2025 is “Uniting for Universal Vaccine Coverage”. This week-long event, led by the World Health Organisation (WHO), aims to promote the importance of vaccination in protecting people of all ages against preventable diseases. Health Protection will be sharing key messages throughout the week. Information and assets are available via World Immunisation Week 2025. 

Vaccines are the most effective way to prevent many infectious diseases. They:

• help to protect you from many serious and potentially deadly diseases.
• protect other people in your family and community – by helping to stop diseases spreading to people who cannot have vaccines, such as babies too young to be vaccinated and those who are too ill to be vaccinated.
• undergo rigorous safety testing before being introduced – they are also constantly monitored for side effects after being introduced.
• reduce or even get rid of some diseases – if enough people are vaccinated.

Improving adult vaccination rates could help address the burden of vaccine-preventable diseases, such as influenza, shingles, and pneumococcal pneumonia, which can be severe for older adults as their immune systems weaken with age.

Available vaccines

Pneumococcal
The pneumococcal vaccine helps protect against serious illnesses like pneumonia and meningitis. It is recommended for individuals at higher risk of these illnesses, such as infants and adults aged 65 and older.

Shingles
Shingles is an infection that causes a painful rash. Everyone aged 70 to 79 is eligible for the shingles vaccine. Depending on the type of vaccine you receive, you will have either one dose or two doses, administered 6 to 12 months apart. Contact your GP surgery if you missed your vaccine.

Seasonal vaccinations
These remain a critically important public health intervention and a key priority for reducing illness, deaths, and hospitalisations associated with flu and COVID-19. They are delivered predominantly during the winter months through the NHS and community pharmacies.

Flu Vaccination
The flu vaccination protects against flu, which can be a serious and life-threatening illness. Every year, the flu vaccination prevents illnesses, medical visits, hospitalisations, and deaths. It is offered on the NHS for free every year in autumn or early winter to people at higher risk of getting seriously ill. This usually includes all older adults over the age of 65.

COVID-19 vaccination
The COVID-19 vaccination is typically administered seasonally; however, individuals with severely weakened immune systems may require additional protection at other times and will be offered supplemental booster vaccinations. If you are at increased risk of illness from COVID-19, having the vaccination gives you good

protection and helps to: 

• reduce your risk of getting seriously ill or dying from COVID-19
• reduce your risk of needing to go to the hospital if you catch COVID-19
• reduce your risk of catching and spreading COVID-19

Covid Booster vaccination 

This will generally be offered in the Spring to provide extra protection. The NHS will contact you if you are eligible to receive this. The Spring 2025 Covid booster campaign has announced that the following people will be able to receive a booster this spring​:

• adults aged 75 years and over​
• residents in a care home for older adults​
• individuals aged 6 months and over who are immunosuppressed

RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) Vaccination 

This is crucial for protecting older adults, who are most at risk of severe RSV illness and complications like pneumonia.