Chamber and committees

Question reference: S6W-32365

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: 13 December 2024
Current status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 23 December 2024

Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the eligibility criteria for the flu vaccine have changed in the last three years.

Answer

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advise flu vaccination for those aged 65 years and over. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Scotland expanded the programme to protect individuals, public services and the NHS. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Scottish Government made a policy decision to expanded the programme to protect individuals, public services and the NHS.

Eligibility criteria for the last three years are set out below.

2024-25:

Residents in long-stay care homes / facilities
Those aged 65+
Those aged 18 to 64 at risk including:
- clinical at-risk groups as per Green Book Chapter 19 (GBC19)
- the homeless
- those experiencing substance misuse
- asylum seekers in Home Office hotel accommodation
- prisoners
- pregnant women
Frontline health and social care workers
Non-frontline NHS workers
Poultry workers & bird keepers
Unpaid carers and young carers
Household contacts of the immunosuppressed
Those aged 6 months to 2 years at clinical risk
Those aged 2-5 years not yet at school
Primary & secondary school children

2023-24:

Residents in long-stay care homes / facilities
Those aged 50 +
Those aged 18 to 49 at risk including:
- clinical at-risk groups as per GBC19
- the homeless
- those experiencing substance misuse
- prisoners
- pregnant women
Frontline health and social care workers
Non-frontline NHS workers
Poultry workers
Teachers
Prison staff
Unpaid carers and young carers
Household contacts of the immunosuppressed
Those aged 6 months to 2 years at clinical risk
Those aged 2-5 years not yet at school
Primary & secondary school children

2022-23:

Residents in long-stay care homes / facilities
Those aged 50 +
Those aged 18 to 49 at risk including:
- clinical at-risk groups as per GBC19
- the homeless
- those experiencing substance misuse
- prisoners
- pregnant women
Frontline health and social care workers
Non-frontline NHS workers
Teachers
Prison staff
Unpaid carers and young carers
Household contacts of the immunosuppressed
Those aged 6 months to 2 years at clinical risk
Those aged 2-5 years not yet at school
Primary & secondary school children

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