The flu vaccine helps protect against flu, which can be a serious or life-threatening illness. It’s offered on the NHS every year in autumn or early winter to people at higher risk of getting seriously ill from flu.
We offer a flu vaccination service at our pharmacy to help protect people at risk of flu and its complications.
You may qualify for a free NHS vaccination if you are:
- 65 and over (including those who will be 65 by 31st March 2026)
- Pregnant (Eligible to receive the vaccine from 1st September)
- Receive a carer’s allowance, or are the main carer for an older or disabled person who may be at risk of getting sick.
- In a long-stay residential care home
- Live with someone who is more likely to get a severe infection due to a weakened immune system, such as someone living with HIV, someone who has had a transplant, or is having certain treatments for cancer, lupus, or rheumatoid arthritis.
- Frontline health or social care workers (employed by a residential care or nursing home, a domiciliary care provider, a voluntary managed hospice provider, through direct payments or personal health budgets)
- Aged 18-64 with certain health conditions:
- Diabetes
- Severe respiratory diseases such as asthma, COPD, emphysema or bronchitis
- Heart disease such as coronary heart disease or heart failure
- Being very overweight - a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or above
- Chronic kidney disease
- Liver disease such as cirrhosis or hepatitis
- Some neurological diseases such as Parkinson's disease, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis (MS) or cerebral palsy
- A learning disability
- Weakened immune system due to conditions such as HIV and AIDS, or taking medicines such as steroid tablets or chemotherapy
BOOK YOUR FLU JAB AT AR PHARMACY
Booking is open now.
Vaccine clinics run from 1st October.
Pregnant women are eligible for free vaccination from 1st September, you do not need to book to receive this in September, just speak to a member of staff.
If you are eligible, you can request to get a Covid-19 vaccine at the same time when you book your appointment.
Private flu vaccines
Available at all branches
If you are not eligible for an NHS vaccine, you can get vaccinated privately.
The vaccine costs £20
This is a walk in service, you do not need to book (subject to stock and pharmacist availability)
CHILDREN’S FLU VACCINES
Children’s Flu Vaccine
The NHS offer flu vaccinations to all children, up to school year 11, or those under 18 with long term medication conditions. You can book an appointment online through NHS National Booking Service or via the NHS App
The children’s flu vaccine will be available on the NHS from our pharmacies for:
- All children aged 2 and 3 years of age on 31st August 2026 – that means children who were born on or after 1st September 2022 and on or before 31st August 2024;
- Children aged from 4 to 17 years who are classed as clinically at-risk or in another risk group (for example chronic respiratory, heart, vascular, kidney, liver, neurological, or adrenal disease, immunosuppressed, aspelnic or morbidly obese) (excluding those in the people experiencing homelessness risk group – see the next eligible group);
- Young people aged 16 and 17 years old who are in the ‘people experiencing homelessness’ risk group
- Any primary school and secondary school aged children, from Reception to Year 11, who missed the opportunity to receive a flu vaccination from the School Aged Immunisation Service and are not clinically at risk.
More information is available online at NHS Child Flu Vaccine.
Private children’s flu vaccine
West Totton branch only
(Not currently available)
Some patients opt to have their children vaccinated privately. The nasal spray vaccine is preferred, and costs £30. This is a live vaccine, and the pharmacist will check it is suitable before vaccinating. Please speak to a pharmacist in store for more information and to book.
