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The NHS is offering a Spring COVID vaccination to those at highest risk of severe illness from COVID. This will help protect them if COVID-19 rates are high over the summer months and reduce their chances of needing hospital treatment if they do catch the virus.

Who can have the spring vaccination?

The spring vaccination is available to those who are most vulnerable to COVID-19:

  • people aged 75 and older (by 30 June 2024)
  • residents of care homes for older people
  • people aged 6 months and over who have a weakened immune system*

Vaccinations in care homes for older adults began from the week of 15 April. Other eligible people will be invited to book their spring vaccination soon, with appointments starting from 22 April.

* You may be eligible for the vaccine if you have a disorder affecting your immune system, are undergoing immunosuppressive treatment, such as for cancer, or are taking medications that increase your risk of infection. You can check the summary of health conditions, treatments and medications that can cause a weakened immune system on the NHS website.

There are two main ways to access a COVID vaccination:

  1. Via appointment at a GP practice-led vaccination site

The bulk of vaccinations continue to be provided by appointment through GP practice-led vaccination sites across the county. Please note that these appointments are not available on the national booking system (NBS), people will receive an invite directly from local NHS services to book (often via text if your GP practice has a contact number). At the moment, we are asking people who are eligible for a spring booster not to contact their GP surgery, local NHS services will be in touch soon.

  1. Via the national booking system (NBS)

People may choose to book a COVID vaccine through the NHS App or on the NHS website.

Alternatively, people who aren’t able to book online can call 119 where translators will also be available to support people if needed.

If you develop a new health condition or start treatment that severely weakens your immune system, you may need additional protection outside of the seasonal vaccination programme.

If you are eligible your GP and/or Specialist doctor will discuss this with you and refer you for vaccination if you choose to take up the offer. If you believe you’re eligible but have not been referred please discuss with your GP or specialist.


JCVI advises the following groups to be offered a free COVID-19 vaccine this spring:

  • Adults aged 75 years and over (this includes those who turn 75 years old by 30 June 2024).
  • Residents in care homes for older adults (people who are admitted to an older adult care home or become immunosuppressed by 30 June are also eligible).
  • Individuals aged 6 months and over who are immunosuppressed, this includes:
    • Individuals with primary or acquired immunodeficiency states at the time of vaccination due to certain conditions
    • Individuals on immunosuppressive or immunomodulating therapy at the time of vaccination
    • Individuals with chronic immune-mediated inflammatory disease who were receiving or had received immunosuppressive therapy prior to vaccination
    • Individuals who had received high dose steroids for any reason in the month before vaccination

The primary aim of the COVID-19 vaccination programme continues to be the prevention of severe disease (hospitalisation and mortality) arising from COVID-19. Eligibility for the spring 2024 COVID-19 vaccination campaign is the same as it was for the spring 2022 and spring 2023 campaigns.

Infection with the Omicron variant is far less serious than earlier strains, including for pregnant women. So far, only the autumn vaccine campaigns have covered a larger group of people (including pregnant women) as over winter, the threat of COVID-19 is at its greatest.

Older persons (75+), residents in care homes for older adults, and those who are immunosuppressed continue to be at highest risk of severe COVID-19. To protect the most vulnerable in the population against becoming seriously unwell with COVID-19, JCVI’s view is that the provision of a spring vaccination dose for these people is a proportionate response this year.


As with the Spring COVID-19 vaccine campaign in both 2022 and 2023, household contacts are not eligible.

Infection with the Omicron variant is far less likely to lead to serious complications than earlier strains, and the current vaccines offer modest, short-term protection against mild disease. This means that the vaccines cannot help much to reduce the spread of infection.

For the spring 2024 vaccine, JCVI is prioritising groups most vulnerable to serious outcomes from COVID-19 including those aged 75 or over, living in care homes, and those who are immunosuppressed. These individuals are at highest risk of severe COVID-19, and as time passes, their protection derived from vaccination in autumn 2023 will wane substantially before autumn 2024.

If eligible, you can get protection from a spring COVID-19 vaccination even if you have not taken up a COVID-19 vaccine offer in the past. Most people do not need extra vaccinations to make up for any they have missed, but your doctor may advise a further dose if you have a severely weakened immune system.


Patients who are registered as housebound with their GP practice will be contacted directly when their COVID-19 vaccine is due to arrange a visit from a vaccination team.

If your GP practice isn’t offering COVID-19 vaccines, your details will be passed to the NHS Gloucestershire vaccination team who will be in touch to arrange a visit.

Find out more about COVID vaccines on the NHS website.