Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination

COVID-19 vaccination is an important part of protecting yourself if you're at increased risk from severe COVID-19.

Who is eligible for a seasonal COVID-19 vaccine?  

You or your child may be offered a seasonal COVID-19 vaccine if you are:

  • aged 65 years old or over (you need to be 65 years old by 31 March 2024)
  • aged 6 months to 64 years old and are at increased risk
  • living in a care home for older adults
  • a frontline health or social care worker
  • aged 16 to 64 years old and are a carer
  • aged 12 to 64 years old and live with someone with a weakened immune system
Children under 5 in a clinical risk group

Children aged 6 months to 4 years old who are at increased risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19 can currently get a COVID-19 vaccine. Local NHS services will invite eligible children for their vaccinations and arrange their appointments.

If your child is eligible because they are at increased risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19, please wait to be contacted.

People with a severely weakened immune system

If you develop a new health condition or start treatment that severely weakens your immune system, your specialist may advise you that you need an additional vaccine before the autumn. They will make a referral and advise on the best timing for vaccination around your planned treatment.

Speak to your specialist for more information.

Frontline health and care workers

For frontline health and care workers, the COVID-19 vaccine may be offered directly by your employer, you can book by downloading the NHS App, online or by calling 119. You can also get a COVID-19 vaccination from a walk-in site without an appointment.

Living in a care home for older adults

If you live in a care home for older adults and you are eligible, staff at your care home will arrange your vaccination for you.

Pregnant women

Information for Pregnant Women

Seasonal flu and COVID-19 vaccinations

Catching flu or COVID-19 whilst pregnant can lead to complications for you and your baby and can cause premature birth or low birth weight. The flu and COVID-19 vaccines help to protect you and your baby from serious illness and provides your baby with protection for the first few months of life.

Getting these vaccines ahead of winter are two of the most important things you can do to keep yourself and your baby safe and get ‘winter strong’. It is important to get your vaccines as soon as you can, including pregnant women who have previously been vaccinated. 

It's safe to have both vaccines during any stage of pregnancy, from the first few weeks up to your expected due date. We encourage you to get both vaccines in the same visit where possible, to get protected against both viruses in just a few minutes. If this is not possible, it is better to get each vaccine as soon as you can rather than waiting.

How to get your vaccines

You can book your COVID-19 vaccination appointment online, by downloading the NHS app or by calling 119 if you can’t get online. There are also walk-in COVID-19 vaccination sites available across Cheshire and Merseyside. 

You can book your flu vaccine by finding a local pharmacy or through your GP practice and some maternity services.

For further advice on getting your flu and COVID-19 vaccinations in your area, speak with your local maternity service. 

For further information visit https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/vaccinations/

How to get a seasonal COVID-19 vaccine   

You may be contacted by a local NHS service, such as your GP surgery, to get a vaccine for you or your child. This is usually done by text or a phone call, but you may sometimes get a letter or a notification in the NHS App.

If you are eligible, book your flu and seasonal COVID-19 vaccination online at www.nhs.uk/wintervaccinations or via the NHS App by 14 December 2023. You will not be able to book a vaccination online after this date.

If you cannot book appointments online, you can call 119 free of charge. You can speak to a translator if you need to. The 119 service, which provides booking support for those that can’t get online, will close for bookings on 14 December and queries on 22 December.

If you have difficulties communicating or hearing, or are a British Sign Language (BSL) user, you can use textphone 18001 119 or the NHS 119 BSL interpreter service

After 14 December, you may be able to book a COVID-19 vaccination directly with a local NHS vaccination service, such as a pharmacy, or visit a walk in site, but there will be fewer COVID-19 appointments and you may have to travel further. Details of walk in sites can be found at Find a walk-in COVID-19 vaccination site - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

If you’re eligible for a free flu vaccine, after 14 December you will still be able to contact your GP surgery to book an appointment or find a pharmacy that offers NHS flu vaccination (if you’re aged 18 or over).

Walk-in COVID-19 vaccination sites in Cheshire and Merseyside

We’re making it as easy as possible for eligible people in Cheshire and Merseyside to get their COVID-19 vaccinations, either at a Primary Care Network (PCN) walk-in clinic, or at a local pharmacy.  Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust’s Living Well Service will also be offering walk-in COVID-19 vaccinations, free health checks and wider wellbeing advice to anyone who drops-in. For more information about Living Well visit: www.cwp.nhs.uk/livingwellservice.

Find a Living Well Bus or Primary Care Network Covid-19 vaccination clinic near you.

Cheshire East

Living Well Bus

  • Saturday 2 December, 10:30am - 4pm - tbc
Cheshire West

Living Well Bus

  • Thursday 30 November, 10:30am - 4pm - Cheshire New Scene Centre, Limewood Close, Chester, CH2 2HD
Halton

Living Well Bus

  • Saturday 2 December, 10:30am - 4pm - Runcorn Town Hall, Heath Rd, Runcorn WA7 5TD
  • Sunday 10 December, 10:30am - 4pm - Tesco Widnes, Ashley House, Ashley Retail Park, Lugsdale Rd, Widnes WA8 7YT
  • Monday 11 December, 10:30am - 4pm - ASDA Runcorn, West Ln, Palacefields, Runcorn WA7 2PY
  • Friday 22 December, 10:30am - 4pm - ASDA Runcorn, West Ln, Palacefields, Runcorn WA7 2PY
Knowsley

Living Well Bus

  • Wednesday 29 November, 10:30am - 4pm - Livv Housing Group, Lakeview, Kings Business Park, Prescot, L34 1PJ

Walk In Clinics

Cornerways Medical Centre, North Huyton Primary Care Resource Centre, Woolfall Health, Huyton, L36 3TN

  • Wednesday 29 November, 11am - 2:30pm
  • Wednesday 6 December, 11am - 2:30pm
Liverpool

Living Well Bus

  • Tbc

Walk-in Clinics

Cornerways Medical Centre, North Huyton Primary Care Centre, Woolfall Heath Ave, Terminus Rd, Huyton, Liverpool L36 3TN (17+)

  • Each Wednesday 11am - 2.30pm

Aintree Vaccination Hub, Aintree Hospital, Lower Lane, Fazakerly, L9 7AL

  • Monday to Friday, 9am - 12pm and 1pm - 5pm
  • Saturday and Sunday, 10am - 12pm and 1pm - 3pm

Alder Hey Hospital, Main outpatient department, East Prescot Road, Liverpool L14 5AB (5-17 year olds)

  • Saturday 2 December, 9am - 5pm
Sefton

Living Well Bus

  • Thursday 30 November, 10:30am - 4pm - Stanley Road, outside Stanley Garden, L20 7DA
St Helens

Living Well Bus

  • Wednesday 29 November, 10:30am - 4pm - Tesco's Earlstown, Earlestown, Newton-le-Willows, WA12 9LN
Warrington

Living Well Bus

  • Friday 1 December, 10:30am - 1:00pm - Bewsey & Dallam Community Hub, Longshaw Street, Warrington, WA5 0DY
  • Friday 1 December, 1:30pm - 4:00pm - Bewsey Community Shop, Bewsey Park Pavillion, Troutbeck Avenue, Bewsey, WA5 0BA
Wirral

Living Well Bus

  • Friday 1 December, 10:30am - 4:00pm - Tesco Bidston, Bidston Link Road, Birkenhead, CH43 7AA

Walk In Clinic

Birkenhead Medical Building, 31 Laird Street, Birkenhead, CH41 8DB, 2nd Floor, access by stairs or lift (Over 12's)

  • Monday to Friday, 1pm - 5pm
  • Saturday, 9am - 2pm

Victoria Central Health Centre, Mill Lane, Wallasey, CH44 5UF  

  • Thursday 30 November, 2pm - 6pm

For more information about the COVID-19 vaccine visit: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/covid-19/covid-19-vaccination/