COVID-19 vaccination surveillance in Northern Ireland, Autumn/Winter 2025/26

COVID-19 Vaccination Surveillance in Northern Ireland, Autumn 2025

Data were correct at 23 November 2025.

1 Summary

  • A total of 95,423 COVID-19 vaccinations have been administered between 01 September 2025 to 23 November 2025 as part of the Autumn 2025 campaign.
  • COVID-19 vaccination uptake was highest in care home residents (61%) and those aged 75 years and over (52.6%).

2 COVID-19 Autumn 2025 Vaccination Campaign

The COVID-19 Autumn 2025 vaccination campaign commenced in Northern Ireland on 07 October 2025 and is expected to end on 31 January 2026. The campaign is delivered by a number of providers including GP, community pharmacy and Health and Social Care Trusts. The total number of vaccinations administered to 23 November 2025 was 95,423. Vaccine uptake in Autumn 2025 to date was highest in care home residents (61%) and those aged 75 years and over (52.6%) (Figure 2.1).

Cumulative COVID-19 Autumn 2025 vaccination uptake by eligible group in Northern Ireland.

Figure 2.1: Cumulative COVID-19 Autumn 2025 vaccination uptake by eligible group in Northern Ireland.

2.1 75 years and over

2.1.1 75 years and over by Local Government District

Vaccine uptake in individuals aged 75 years and over varied by LGD. Vaccine uptake was highest in Ards and North Down (66.6%) and lowest in Mid Ulster (33.3%) (Figure 2.2).

COVID-19 vaccination uptake in individuals aged 75 years and older by Local Government District in Northern Ireland, Autumn 2025.

Figure 2.2: COVID-19 vaccination uptake in individuals aged 75 years and older by Local Government District in Northern Ireland, Autumn 2025.

2.1.2 75 years and over by age band

Vaccine uptake in individuals aged 75 years and over improved with increasing age. Vaccine uptake increased from 47.6% in those aged 75-79 years to 56.6% in those aged 80 years and over (Figure 2.3).

COVID-19 vaccination uptake in individuals aged 75 years and older by age band in Northern Ireland, Autumn 2025.

Figure 2.3: COVID-19 vaccination uptake in individuals aged 75 years and older by age band in Northern Ireland, Autumn 2025.

2.2 18-74 years immunosuppressed

2.2.1 18-74 years immunosuppressed by Local Government District

Vaccine uptake in individuals aged 18-74 years who were immunosuppressed varied by LGD. Vaccine uptake was highest in Ards and North Down (48.5%) and in Antrim and Newtownabbey (47%) and lowest in Mid Ulster (23.3%) (Figure 2.4).

COVID-19 vaccination uptake in individuals aged 18 to 74 years who were immunosuppressed by Local Government District in Northern Ireland, Autumn 2025.

Figure 2.4: COVID-19 vaccination uptake in individuals aged 18 to 74 years who were immunosuppressed by Local Government District in Northern Ireland, Autumn 2025.

2.2.2 18-74 years immunosuppressed by age band

Vaccine uptake in individuals aged 18-74 years who were immunosuppressed improved with increasing age. Vaccine uptake increased from 14.2% in those aged 18-24 years to 66.2% in those aged 70-74 years (Figure 2.5).
COVID-19 vaccination uptake in individuals aged 18 to 74 years who were immunosuppressed by age band in Northern Ireland, Autumn 2025.

Figure 2.5: COVID-19 vaccination uptake in individuals aged 18 to 74 years who were immunosuppressed by age band in Northern Ireland, Autumn 2025.

2.3 Care Home residents

Vaccine uptake in care home residents varied across Health and Social Care (HSC) Trust area; ranging from 56.1% in Western HSC Trust (WHSCT) to 66.3% in Belfast HSC Trust (BHSCT) (Figure 2.6).

COVID-19 vaccination uptake in care home residents by Trust in Northern Ireland, Autumn 2025.

Figure 2.6: COVID-19 vaccination uptake in care home residents by Trust in Northern Ireland, Autumn 2025.

3 Eligibility for vaccinations

The Green Book is published by UK Health Security Agency and provides information for public health professionals on immunisation, including COVID-19 vaccination (The Green Book | Immunisation againist infectious disease). Considering this advice and that of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), the Chief Medical Officer in Northern Ireland issues a letter for the COVID-19 vaccination campaign outlining who is eligible for vaccination under the current programme. For more information on the COVID-19 vaccination programme in Northern Ireland, including eligibility for vaccination, please visit Health NI | Autumn 2025 COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign Campaign.

4 Methods

Data is presented to the end of the last reporting week for COVID-19 Autumn 2025 vaccinations, Sunday 23 November 2025.

All vaccinations were recorded on the Northern Ireland Vaccine Management System (VMS).

Data was provisional and accurate at the time of extraction. Data lags exist between data of administration of the vaccine and date of recording on VMS.

Eligible groups are not mutually exclusive and individuals may be counted in more than one group. Individuals may have more than one eligibility criteria for vaccination, however, most will only have one reason for vaccination recorded on VMS. This will impact estimates of vaccine uptake.

4.1 Definitions and data sources

Vaccine uptake (%) is defined as the number of vaccinations administered (numerator) divided by the eligible population (denominator). Vaccine uptake is included in this report for those eligible groups in which a denominator is available.

COVID-19 Autumn 2025 vaccination is defined as any vaccination recorded on the Northern Ireland Vaccine Management System (VMS) administered from 01 September 2025 to 31 January 2026.

4.1.1 Adult vaccinations by age group

Age for adult vaccinations is based on age at 31 March 2026. The age group based population is based on the NISRA mid-year estimate (2021).

4.1.2 Immunosuppressed individuals

Individuals who are ‘immunosuppressed’ are determined using the reason for vaccination ‘immunosuppressed’, as populated on the VMS. The population who are ‘immunosuppressed’ is determined using data from the national General Practice Intelligence Programme (GPIP) extracted at the beginning of the Autumn 2025 campaign. Vaccine uptake for the adult ‘immunosuppressed’ population is estimated in this report.

4.1.3 Care home residents

Care home residents are those recorded as a care home resident with a valid RQIA care home registration number on VMS. The care home resident population is based on the beds occupied reported in the Northern Ireland RQIA Census of Bed Availability in Registered Care Homes in Northern Ireland (December 2023). Vaccine uptake in care home residents is estimated in this report.

5 Supplementary tables

Table 1: Number of COVID-19 Autumn 2025 vaccinations and cumulative vaccination uptake by eligible group in Northern Ireland.

Eligible group

Number vaccinated

Population

Vaccine uptake (%)

75 years and over

79,754

151,548

52.6

18-74 years 'immunosuppressed'

13,940

39,399

35.4

Care Home residents

8,231

13,490

61.0

Table 2: Number of COVID-19 vaccinations and cumulative vaccination uptake in individuals aged 75 years and over by Local Government District in Northern Ireland, Autumn 2025.

LGD

Number vaccinated

Population

Vaccine uptake (%)

Antrim and Newtownabbey

6,813

11,798

57.7

Ards and North Down

11,443

17,172

66.6

Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon

8,061

16,371

49.2

Belfast

13,271

24,040

55.2

Causeway Coast and Glens

6,296

12,763

49.3

Derry City and Strabane

5,387

10,358

52.0

Fermanagh and Omagh

3,585

9,418

38.1

Lisburn and Castlereagh

7,947

12,795

62.1

Mid Ulster

3,422

10,286

33.3

Mid and East Antrim

6,989

12,962

53.9

Newry, Mourne and Down

6,480

13,585

47.7

Table 3: Number of COVID-19 vaccinations and cumulative vaccination uptake in individuals aged 75 years and over by age band in Northern Ireland, Autumn 2025.

Age Band

Population

People

Vaccine uptake (%)

75-79

67,262

32,016

47.6

80+

84,286

47,738

56.6

Table 4: Number of COVID-19 vaccinations and cumulative vaccination uptake in individuals aged 18 to 74 years who were immunosuppressed by Local Government District in Northern Ireland, Autumn 2025.

LGD

Number vaccinated

Population

Vaccine uptake (%)

Antrim and Newtownabbey

1,329

2,830

47.0

Ards and North Down

1,655

3,413

48.5

Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon

1,441

4,307

33.5

Belfast

2,252

7,757

29.0

Causeway Coast and Glens

1,082

3,003

36.0

Derry City and Strabane

1,359

3,108

43.7

Fermanagh and Omagh

641

2,380

26.9

Lisburn and Castlereagh

1,307

3,219

40.6

Mid Ulster

634

2,716

23.3

Mid and East Antrim

963

2,738

35.2

Newry, Mourne and Down

1,258

3,711

33.9

Table 5: Number of COVID-19 vaccinations and cumulative vaccination uptake in individuals aged 18 to 74 years who were immunosuppressed by age band in Northern Ireland, Autumn 2025.

Age Band

Number vaccinated

Population

Vaccine uptake (%)

18-24

160

1,129

14.2

25-29

195

1,254

15.6

30-34

309

1,686

18.3

35-39

441

2,486

17.7

40-44

545

3,008

18.1

45-49

787

3,446

22.8

50-54

1,079

4,023

26.8

55-59

1,650

5,205

31.7

60-64

2,364

6,048

39.1

65-69

2,976

5,926

50.2

70-74

3,434

5,188

66.2

Table 6: Number of COVID-19 vaccinations and cumulative vaccination uptake in care home residents by Trust in Northern Ireland, Autumn 2025.

Trust

Number vaccinated

Population

Vaccine uptake (%)

BHSCT

1,776

2,680

66.3

NHSCT

2,113

3,521

60.0

SEHSCT

1,942

3,201

60.7

SHSCT

1,350

2,224

60.7

WHSCT

1,045

1,864

56.1