Vaccinations

Flu vaccination campaign gets underway

The 2026 winter vaccination programme is now underway, offering protection to those most at risk from flu and coronavirus (COVID-19) as we head into the colder months. By helping to prevent serious illness, hospitalisation and death, the programme plays an important role in keeping individuals, families and communities well, while also reducing pressure on NHS and social care services during winter.

The flu vaccination programme starts on 22 September, with coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine available from mid-October, and we aim to complete the winter programme before Christmas.

You are eligible and recommended to have the flu vaccine this year if you are:

• living in long-stay residential care homes or other long-stay care facilities
• aged 65 and over
• aged 18 to 64 with an eligible health condition
• experiencing homelessness or problems with substance use
• an asylum seeker living in a Home Office hotel or bed and breakfast accommodation
• living in a Scottish prison
• pregnant
• a frontline health and social care worker
• a non-frontline NHS worker
• an unpaid or young carer
• a household contact of someone with a weakened immune system
• a poultry worker or bird handler
• a cattle or swine worker

Some people who are eligible for flu are also eligible for coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine because they are at high risk of serious illness due to the virus. As per Scottish Government policy, you will be invited for both coronavirus and flu vaccination if you:

• are aged 75 years or over (born on or before 31 March 1952)
• live in a care home for older adults
• are aged 6 months or over (born on or before 1 March 2026) and have a weakened immune system

The delivery of the programme is very complex as nearly half the Shetland population will be offered vaccines during the next three months, in a number of different settings.

You can book appointments at the Grantfield Vaccination Centre through the national portal: Winter vaccines | NHS inform. This webpage includes a video to show you how to use the portal if you have not done so before. The accompanying images* show which options to select on the booking portal if you need to make a flu-only appointment at Grantfield. You can also contact the national vaccination helpline on 0800 030 8013. The NHS Shetland Vaccination Team can be contact by telephone on 01595 743319 or by email on shet.vaccination-team@nhs.scot. If you have questions about the programme or your appointment, please call the national vaccination helpline on 0800 030 8013 or call or email the NHS Shetland Vaccination Team, as above, and leave a message. Please be aware that at busy times there may be a delay in calling you back, but the team will aim to contact you the next working day.

Invites and clinic settings for those people only having flu vaccine will be as follows:

• Adults registered with Lerwick, Levenwick, Scalloway, Brae, Bixter and Walls practices, aged 65-74 or under 65 with eligible medical conditions, will have been sent a text, email or letter inviting them to book an appointment at the Grantfield Vaccination Centre for their flu vaccine.
• If you are registered with Hillswick, Unst, Whalsay or Yell practices, you will be contacted directly by your GP practice about your vaccinations. However, you can attend the Grantfield Vaccination Centre if you prefer.
• School pupils should have already received their consent packs for their flu vaccinations delivered in school.
• All pre-school children under five will be invited to get their flu vaccine at nursery or GP practice.
• Health and social care staff will receive information through their workplace regarding flu vaccination clinics.
• Pregnant women will be offered the flu vaccine by their midwife.
• People who cannot leave their home, will receive their vaccine at home from the NHS Shetland Vaccination Team, Community Nursing Team or Scottish Ambulance Service.
• All other people eligible for flu vaccine should look out for further information, as you may not receive a personal invite. You can book a flu appointment using the national portal, or contact the Shetland Vaccination Team (or Hillswick, Unst, Whalsay or Yell practice if you are registered with one of them).

Dr Susan Laidlaw, NHS Shetland’s Director of Public Health and Immunisation Coordinator, has shared a video outlining the importance of the flu vaccines campaign. The video can be viewed here: Winter Vaccinations Campaign 2026

There is a lot of information on NHS inform, including the patient information leaflets, access to the booking portal for making and changing appointments, how to opt out of receiving appointments, and vaccine information in different languages and formats: Winter vaccines | NHS inform

NHS Shetland staff

NHS Shetland staff will be able to receive their flu vaccine from Wednesday 30 September. Please see internal communications regarding the location and timings of these vaccine clinics.

NHS Shetland staff can also receive their vaccine from the Grantfield Vaccination Centre, staff can drop in to any clinic (Monday – Friday) between 9.15am and 4.15pm (closed between 1.00pm – 1.30pm) or contact them on 01595 74 3319 to book an appointment or email shet.vaccination-team@nhs.scot. Please also see internal communications regarding the peer to peer vaccination programme. For staff who work remotely out with Shetland, but in Scotland, you can receive your vaccine from your local vaccination service. Arrangements for getting your vaccine will vary in different Health Board areas. You may need to call to book an appointment. For staff who work out with Scotland, you can visit a community pharmacy that is offering NHS flu jabs, or contact your GP.

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*On the national booking portal:

1) Select - winter 2026 - flu vaccine age 18 years and over

2) Select - Grantfield Vaccination Centre flu-only 18-74 years clinic.