1 Summary

2 COVID-19 Spring 2026 Vaccination Campaign

The COVID-19 Spring vaccination campaign commenced in Northern Ireland on 20 April 2026 and ended on 30 June 2026. The campaign was delivered by a number of providers including general practitioners (GP), community pharmacy and Health and Social Care (HSC) Trusts. The total number of vaccinations administered during the campaign was 69,254. COVID-19 vaccine uptake in Spring 2026 was highest in care home residents at 66.2% (Figure 2.1).

COVID-19 Spring vaccination uptake by eligible group in Northern Ireland, 2026.

Figure 2.1: COVID-19 Spring vaccination uptake by eligible group in Northern Ireland, 2026.

3 Vaccine uptake in eligible groups

Vaccine uptake has declined in care home residents and individuals aged 75 years and over since the COVID-19 vaccination programme transitioned into targeted Spring and Autumn campaigns, the first of which was Spring 2022. Although vaccine uptake has remained highest in care home residents across all seasonal campaigns to date, uptake has declined from 82.3% in Spring 2022 to 66.2% in Spring 2026 in this group. Uptake in individuals aged 75 years and over has fluctuated over time with uptake lower in Spring campaigns compared to Autumn. Overall uptake within this group has declined from 78.8% in Spring 2022 to 37.2% in Spring 2026. Individuals aged 18-74 years ‘immunosuppressed’ were offered COVID-19 vaccination during Spring campaigns from Spring 2024 and Autumn campaigns from Autumn 2025. Vaccine uptake in individuals aged 18-74 years ’immunosuppressed’ decreased from 39.8% in Autumn 2025 to 16.1% in Spring 2026. (Figure 3.1).

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COVID-19 Spring vaccination uptake in eligible groups in Northern Ireland, Spring 2022 to Spring 2026.

Figure 3.1: COVID-19 Spring vaccination uptake in eligible groups in Northern Ireland, Spring 2022 to Spring 2026.

3.1 75 years and over

3.1.1 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 (49.9%). Vaccine uptake was lowest in Mid Ulster (21.7%) (Figure 3.2).

COVID-19 Spring vaccination uptake in individuals aged 75 years and older by Local Government District in Northern Ireland, 2026.

Figure 3.2: COVID-19 Spring vaccination uptake in individuals aged 75 years and older by Local Government District in Northern Ireland, 2026.

3.1.2 75 years and over by age band

Vaccine uptake in individuals aged 75 years and over improved with increasing age. Vaccine uptake increased from 32.9% in those aged 75-79 years to 40.7% in those aged 80 years and over (Figure 3.3).
COVID-19 Spring vaccination uptake in individuals aged 75 years and older by age band in Northern Ireland, 2026.

Figure 3.3: COVID-19 Spring vaccination uptake in individuals aged 75 years and older by age band in Northern Ireland, 2026.

3.2 18-74 years immunosuppressed

3.2.1 18-74 years immunosuppressed by Local Government District

Vaccine uptake in individuals aged 18-74 years who were immunosuppressed was highest in Ards and North Down at 26.3% and lowest in Mid Ulster at 8.2% (Figure 3.4).

COVID-19 Spring vaccination uptake in individuals aged 18 to 74 years who were immunosuppressed by Local Government District in Northern Ireland, 2026.

Figure 3.4: COVID-19 Spring vaccination uptake in individuals aged 18 to 74 years who were immunosuppressed by Local Government District in Northern Ireland, 2026.

3.2.2 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 5.6% in those aged 18-24 years to 31.1% in those aged 70-74 years (Figure 3.5).
COVID-19 Spring vaccination uptake in individuals aged 18 to 74 years who were immunosuppressed by age band in Northern Ireland, 2026.

Figure 3.5: COVID-19 Spring vaccination uptake in individuals aged 18 to 74 years who were immunosuppressed by age band in Northern Ireland, 2026.

3.3 Care Home residents

Vaccine uptake in care home residents differed across HSC Trust area (location of the care home). Vaccine uptake was highest in Belfast HSC Trust (BHSCT) at 72.8%. Vaccine uptake in care home residents was lowest in Southern HSC Trust (SHSCT) and Western HSC Trust (WHSCT), 61.1% and 59.8%, respectively (Figure 3.6).

COVID-19 Spring vaccination uptake in care home residents by Trust in Northern Ireland, 2026.

Figure 3.6: COVID-19 Spring vaccination uptake in care home residents by Trust in Northern Ireland, 2026.

4 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 campaign in Northern Ireland, including eligibility for vaccination, please visit Health NI | Spring 2026 COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign.

5 Methods

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 date 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.

5.1 Definitions and data sources

Vaccine uptake (%) was 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 was available.

COVID-19 Spring 2026 vaccination was defined as any vaccination recorded on VMS administered from 20 April 2026 to 30 June 2026.

5.1.1 Adult vaccinations by age group

Age for adult vaccinations was based on age at 30 June 2026. The age group based population was based on the NISRA mid-year estimate (2024).

5.1.2 Immunosuppressed individuals

Individuals who were ‘immunosuppressed’ were determined using the reason for vaccination ‘immunosuppressed’, as populated on the VMS. The population who were ‘immunosuppressed’ was 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 was estimated in this report.

Eligibility based on clinical risk has changed with subsequent campaigns. Spring vaccination was offered to a wider group of eligible individuals based on clinical risk prior to Spring 2024 before the offer was changed to those aged 6 months to 74 years who were immunosuppressed. This eligibility criteria was also introduced to Autumn campaigns from Autumn 2025. Prior to Autumn 2025 campaign, vaccination was offered to individuals aged 6 months to 74 years ‘at risk’.

5.1.3 Care home residents

Care home residents were those recorded as a care home resident with a valid RQIA care home registration number on VMS. The care home resident population was 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 was estimated in this report.

6 Supplementary tables

Table 1: Number of COVID-19 Spring vaccinations and cumulative vaccination uptake by eligible group in Northern Ireland, 2026.

Table 2: Number of COVID-19 vaccinations and cumulative vaccination uptake in eligible groups in Northern Ireland, Spring 2022 to Spring 2026.

Table 3: Number of COVID-19 Spring vaccinations and cumulative vaccination uptake in individuals aged 75 years and over by Local Government District in Northern Ireland, 2026.

Table 4: Number of COVID-19 Spring vaccinations and cumulative vaccination uptake in individuals aged 75 years and over by age band in Northern Ireland, 2026.

Table 5: Number of COVID-19 Spring vaccinations and cumulative vaccination uptake in individuals aged 18 to 74 years who were immunosuppressed by Local Government District in Northern Ireland, 2026.

Table 6: Number of COVID-19 Spring vaccinations and cumulative vaccination uptake in individuals aged 18 to 74 years who were immunosuppressed by age band in Northern Ireland, 2026.

Table 7: Number of COVID-19 Spring vaccinations and cumulative vaccination uptake in care home residents by Trust in Northern Ireland, 2026.