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

COVID-19 Vaccination Surveillance in Northern Ireland, Autumn 2025

Data were correct at 14 December 2025.

1 Summary

  • A total of 101,216 COVID-19 vaccinations have been administered between 01 September 2025 to 14 December 2025 as part of the Autumn 2025 campaign.
  • COVID-19 vaccination uptake was highest in care home residents (67.3%).

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 14 December 2025 was 101,216. Vaccine uptake in Autumn 2025 to date was highest in care home residents (67.3%) (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 (70.8%) and lowest in Mid Ulster (35.7%) (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 49.7% in those aged 75-79 years to 60.1% 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 (53.6%) and lowest in Mid Ulster (25.5%) (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 15.9% in those aged 18-24 years to 71.5% 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 60.7% in Western HSC Trust (WHSCT) to 74.1% 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 14 December 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

84,127

151,548

55.5

18-74 years 'immunosuppressed'

15,112

39,399

38.4

Care Home residents

9,078

13,490

67.3

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

7,261

11,798

61.5

Ards and North Down

12,156

17,172

70.8

Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon

8,326

16,371

50.9

Belfast

13,976

24,040

58.1

Causeway Coast and Glens

6,536

12,763

51.2

Derry City and Strabane

5,594

10,358

54.0

Fermanagh and Omagh

3,820

9,418

40.6

Lisburn and Castlereagh

8,275

12,795

64.7

Mid Ulster

3,677

10,286

35.7

Mid and East Antrim

7,478

12,962

57.7

Newry, Mourne and Down

6,957

13,585

51.2

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

33,455

49.7

80+

84,286

50,672

60.1

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

1,425

2,830

50.4

Ards and North Down

1,831

3,413

53.6

Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon

1,514

4,307

35.2

Belfast

2,441

7,757

31.5

Causeway Coast and Glens

1,158

3,003

38.6

Derry City and Strabane

1,484

3,108

47.7

Fermanagh and Omagh

713

2,380

30.0

Lisburn and Castlereagh

1,398

3,219

43.4

Mid Ulster

693

2,716

25.5

Mid and East Antrim

1,053

2,738

38.5

Newry, Mourne and Down

1,377

3,711

37.1

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

179

1,129

15.9

25-29

210

1,254

16.7

30-34

335

1,686

19.9

35-39

483

2,486

19.4

40-44

594

3,008

19.7

45-49

869

3,446

25.2

50-54

1,188

4,023

29.5

55-59

1,802

5,205

34.6

60-64

2,566

6,048

42.4

65-69

3,176

5,926

53.6

70-74

3,710

5,188

71.5

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

1,987

2,680

74.1

NHSCT

2,280

3,521

64.8

SEHSCT

2,301

3,201

71.9

SHSCT

1,369

2,224

61.6

WHSCT

1,131

1,864

60.7