Vaccination and immunisation overview | HSC Public Health Agency

Northern Ireland offers a comprehensive vaccination programme, free for eligible individuals based on age or risk group, to protect against serious diseases. Learn about vaccines and access information on immunisation and vaccinations programmes on nidirect page in addition to the PHA resources for Northern Ireland.

Vaccination programmes offered in Northern Ireland

The Department of Health selects vaccination programmes based on expert advice, and delivery involves collaboration between healthcare providers, public health experts, and other organisations. These include government departments, public health experts, academic researchers, commissioners, pharmacists, school health teams, health visitors and GPs.

Programme types:

Universal - offered to everyone (e.g., school-based programmes)
Targeted - for those at higher risk (e.g., pregnancy, or elderly programmes)

Key programme: Influenza (flu)

The Influenza (flu) vaccine programme is the largest, most comprehensive programme, running from October to March for:

Children
Adults
Health and social care workers

Vaccination programmes advice and schedules:

January 2026 (Phase 2) - Changes to childhood immunisation schedule (under review)

Effective 1 January 2026, childhood immunisation schedule changes with the introduction of the MMRV vaccine (measles, mumps, rubella, varicella/chickenpox), replacing the MMR vaccine for most routine doses Read more about Measles - don't let your child catch it - get the MMRV vaccine.

Childhood immunisations by age

Childhood immunisation programme leaflets from January 2026

Protecting children from an early age is vital to their health.

Age group	Vaccine
Babies up to 12 months	Vaccines in this age provide protection against diseases such as Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, hepatitis B, Hib, MMRV, Men B, Men C, pneumococcal, rotavirus, BCG, influenza. Immunisation: for premature babies Immunisation for babies: up to a year old Changes to the infant pneumococcal conjugate vaccine schedule - Information for healthcare practitioners Rotavirus factsheet for parents (Immunisation) Measles - don't let your child catch it - get the MMRV vaccine
Babies just after their 1st birthday:	Immunisation: for babies just after their first birthday Measles - don't let your child catch it - get the MMRV vaccine
Children aged 18 months:	Immunisation: for children aged 18 months Measles - don't let your child catch it - get the MMRV vaccine
Preschool children (aged 3 years and 4 months old):	Children in this age group should receive booster vaccines to strengthen their immunity against serious illnesses such as diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, MMR. Immunisation: for pre-school children Childhood immunisation programme leaflets from January 2026 Measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (MMRV) vaccine \| nidirect
12-13 years old:	Children in this age group should receive booster vaccines for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, MenACWY, MMR, and get started on HPV. Help protect yourself: The essential guide to the HPV vaccination for all young people aged 12 to 13 and translations
14-18 years old:	These include boosters and additional vaccines to maintain long-term immunity. Teenage immunisations for ages 14 to 18 (English and translations) Meningococcal ACWY programme for adolescents
18-25 years old:	First-time university attendees are encouraged to ensure they are fully vaccinated, including protection against meningitis. Those attending university for the first time

Parental webinars:

Childhood immunisation schedule (parental guidance)

Age due	Vaccines that protect against		Vaccine given
8 weeks old	Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and hepatitis B		DTaP/IPV/Hib/He (6 in 1 vaccine) - one injection
	Meningococcal group B (MenB)		MenB - one injection
	Rotavirus gastroenteritis		Rotavirus - orally
12 weeks old	Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and hepatitis B		DTaP/IPV/Hib/He (6 in 1 vaccine) - one injection
	Meningococcal group B (MenB)		MenB - one injection
	Rotavirus gastroenteritis		Rotavirus - orally
16 weeks old	Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and hepatitis B		DTaP/IPV/Hib/He (6 in 1 vaccine) - one injection
	Pneumococcal (13 serotypes) • if received pneumococcal at 12 weeks give Men B		PCV - one injection
Age due	Vaccines that protect against		Vaccine given
One year old (on or after the child’s first birthday)	Born before 1 July 2024	Born on or after 1 July 2024
	Pneumococcal	Pneumococcal	PCV - one injection
	Measles, mumps, rubella	Measles, mumps, rubella	MMR - one injection
	MenB	MenB	MenB - one injection
	Hib/MenC (if Hib/MenC exhausted give DTaP/Hib/IPV/HepB)		Hib/MenC - one injection
18 months	No appointment	DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB	DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB - one injection
		Measles, mumps, rubella	MMR - one injection
3 years 4 months old or soon after	Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and polio	Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and polio	dTaP/IPV - one injection
	Measles, mumps, rubella		MMR - one injection
Boys and girls aged 12 to 13 years	Cancers and genital warts caused by specific human papillomavirus (HPV) types		HPV - one injection
14 years old (school Year 9)	Tetanus, diphtheria and polio		Td/IPV - one injection
	Meningococcal groups A, C, W and Y		MenACWY - one injection
Eligible paediatric age group See annual flu letter	Influenza (each year from September)		LAIV (Live attenuated influenza vaccine • If LAIV is contraindicated o otherwise unsuitable use inactivated flu vaccine (check Green Book chapter 19 for details) - injection or nasal spray

Selective childhood immunisation programmes

Target group	Age and schedule	Disease	Vaccines required
Babies born to mothers with hepatitis B	At birth, 4 weeks if born before 1 July 2024 give additional dose at one year	Hepatitis B	Hepatitis B (Engerix B/HBvaxPRO)
Infants in areas of the country with TB incidence >= 40/100,000	Around 28 days old	Tuberculosis	BCG Check SCID screening outcome before giving BCG
Infants with a parent or grandparent born in a high incidence country	Around 28 days old	Tuberculosis	BCG Check SCID screening outcome before giving BCG
Children in a clinical risk group	Age under 2 years • if first ever flu vaccine give second dose at 4 weeks	Influenza	Inactivated flu vaccine
	Aged 2 to 8 years • if first ever flu vaccine give second dose at 4 weeks		LAIV • if LAIV contraindicated or otherwise unsuitable give inactivated flu
	Aged 9 to17 years • only one dose required each flu season		LAIV • if LAIV contraindicated or otherwise unsuitable give inactivated flu
Pregnant women	At any stage of pregnancy during flu season	Influenza	Inactivated flu vaccine
	From 16 weeks gestation	Pertussis	Tdap (ADACEL)
	From 28 weeks gestation	RSV	RSV vaccine (Abrysvo)

There are various vaccines available that protect children against:

BCG and your baby: protecting babies against TB
diphtheria (D)
flu
haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)
hepatitis B
human papillomavirus (HPV)
meningococcal disease (groups A, C, W and Y); Factsheet on MenACWY immunisation for teenager
meningococcal disease (group B); Fact sheet on meningitis B immunisation
MMRV vaccine - measles - don't let your child catch it - get the MMRV vaccine: protects your child against measles, mumps and rubella (German measles) (MMR) and chickenpox. Measles, mumps and rubella can cause severe complications. Early vaccination is critical to keep your child safe.
pertussis (whooping cough); Pertussis (whooping cough includes infants, children, pregnant women)
pneumococcal infection (PCV)
polio (IPV)
Rotavirus factsheet for parents (Immunisation)
tetanus (T)

July 2025 (Phase 1) - Changes to childhood immunisation schedule

Effective 1 July 2025, the childhood immunisation (vaccination) schedule in Northern Ireland was updated.

This offers children even better protection against infectious diseases such as measles and meningitis.

Incomplete vaccination status

Vaccination of individuals with uncertain or incomplete immunisation – GOV.UK

Eligibility calculator

Calculator tool kit

Vaccination programmes in NI information pages (ni direct)

Vaccination programmes information pages:

Preschool vaccine programmes	Childhood immunisation Childhood immunisation programme BCG vaccination for babies Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) Vaccines for children
School based vaccine programmes	MenACWY vaccination for teenagers and students HPV vaccine for adolescents aged 12 to 13 years old Immunisation for teenagers between 14 and 18 years old
Pregnancy vaccine programmes	Vaccinations in pregnancy Whooping cough vaccination for pregnant women Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccine for pregnant women
Elderly vaccine programmes	Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccine for older adults Shingles vaccine
Targeted programmes for adults, children and HSC occupational health	COVID-19 vaccine safety COVID-19 vaccine Flu vaccination Influenza (flu) vaccine programme HPV vaccine for men who have sex with men

Vaccination during pregnancy and recommended schedule

Vaccination during pregnancy helps protect both mother and baby.

Vaccination during pregnancy can help prevent disease or make illness less serious for you, and for your baby. This is because the antibodies (natural substances your body produces to fight infection) are passed to your unborn baby, helping to protect them in their first few weeks of life. 

Key advice and resources:

Flu (influenza)

RSV

Whooping cough (Pertussis)

Protecting your baby from:

Pregnancy webinars

Vaccinations during pregnancy (pptx slides from webinar) - 25 October 2024

Recommended schedule:

Vaccine	When to have the vaccine
Whooping Cough (Pertussis) immunisation	Offered from 16 weeks. The best time to have the whooping cough vaccine is from 16 to 32 weeks of pregnancy. You can have it up until your baby is born, but it may be less effective later in pregnancy.
How to protect your baby from RSV	Offered from 28 weeks. The best time to have the RSV vaccine is from 28 to 36 weeks of pregnancy. You can have it up until your baby is born, but it may be less effective later in pregnancy.
Influenza (flu) vaccine	Offered during flu season (which may be at any time during your pregnancy). You should have the flu vaccine as soon as it is offered to you.

Vaccination for older adults (aged 65 years and over)

Different immunisations are available for adults aged 65 years and over.

Vaccinations play crucial role in protecting older adults from age-related health risks.

Flu (influenza) and COVID-19

Pneumonia

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)

Shingles

Targeted programmes (children and adults)

Targeted programmes

BCG (tuberculosis)

BCG and your baby Protecting babies against TB | HSC Public Health Agency

Hepatitis B

Includes: Universal hepatitis B programme and hepatitis B vaccine for at risk babies
Resources: Clinical guidelines on hepatitis B

Influenza (flu)

Includes: Children, adults, pregnant women and healthcare workers
Resources: Flu resources for professionals

Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM)

Pregnant women

Includes: Flu, pertussis, MMR, hepatitis B and syphilis advice
Resources: check Vaccination during pregnancy and recommended schedule accordion above within this page

Shingles

Splenectomy

Includes: MenACWY, pneumococcal, flu
Resources: Factsheet on splenectomy

Travel vaccines and travel health advice

For travel health advice and travel vaccines, visit:

Missed a vaccination?

If you or your child has missed a vaccination, you may still be able to receive it. Check the vaccination information for the relevant age or life stage or speak to a healthcare professional.

View all vaccination and immunisation information

Information, eligibility and resources in Northern Ireland on Immunisation and vaccinations | nidirect page.

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Last modified

05 October 2026