The COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. They give you the best possible protection against COVID-19.
It is important to get all doses of the COVID-19 vaccine when they are offered to you, to ensure you are as protected as possible.
However, it is not too late to get your vaccine even if you have not yet had your first dose.
If you have already had a COVID-19 vaccine, and your next dose is overdue, the offer to have it remains open to you. Please book your next due dose as soon as possible.
You can be vaccinated against COVID-19 if you’re pregnant or think you might be, you’re breastfeeding, you’re trying for a baby or might get pregnant in the future.
What vaccine dose can I get?
Everyone aged 12 and over can get a first and second dose of the vaccine. Everyone aged 16 and over can get a booster dose. Read more about booster doses
- If you are aged 18 or over, you can get a second dose from 8 weeks after the first dose and a booster dose from 3 months after the second dose.
- If you are aged 16 -17, you can get a second dose from 12 weeks after the first dose, and a booster dose from 3 months after the second dose.
- If you are aged 12-15, you can get a second dose from 12 weeks after the first dose.
If you are aged 12-17 and at high risk from COVID-19 or live with someone who is immunosuppressed, you can get your second dose after 8 weeks instead of waiting until 12 weeks. To get your second dose from 8 weeks, please either:
- contact your GP surgery
- go to a walk-in site with a letter from a GP that says you’re eligible for a second dose from eight weeks after your first dose
If you had a weakened immune system at the time that you had your first two doses, you may not have responded as well as other people and you will be offered a third primary dose before your booster dose.
To get your COVID-19 vaccine
If you’re aged 12 or over you can:
- book your COVID-19 vaccination appointments online for an appointment at a vaccination centre or pharmacy.
- Call 119 free of charge. You can speak to a translator if you need to.
- 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.
- find a walk-in COVID-19 vaccination site to get vaccinated without needing an appointment. Not all clinics are able to vaccinate younger people: please check the clinic details before travelling.
Most children can get their vaccine at school. Find out more about the COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 12 to 15
You can manage your COVID-19 vaccination appointments (to view your appointments and rebook if you need to).
You do not need to have a GP or an NHS number to get the COVID-19 vaccine
The COVID-19 vaccine is free to everyone in the UK. This includes all migrants.
If you don’t have an NHS number you can contact your local GP surgery to organise the vaccine (you can book your COVID-19 vaccination appointments as an unregistered patient) or attend a COVID-19 vaccination walk-in centre or pop-up centre.
You will never be forced to have the COVID-19 vaccine and it does not affect your asylum or refugee status.
No immigration checks are needed to get tested, treated or vaccinated for COVID-19.
If you’ve had a positive COVID-19 test
If you’ve had a positive COVID-19 test, you need to wait before getting any dose of the vaccine. You need to:
- wait 4 weeks (28 days) if you’re aged 18 years old or over
- wait 12 weeks (84 days) if you’re aged 12 to 17 years old
- wait 4 weeks (28 days) if you’re aged 12 to 17 years old and at high-risk from COVID-19
This starts from the date you had symptoms, or the date of the positive test if you did not have any symptoms.
Please choose a suitable appointment date when booking. You can also cancel and rebook an existing appointment for a later date if needed.