NHS24 - Health Information and Self Care Advice for Scotland

How do I know if I need or am eligible for a seasonal flu jab?

The following groups will be eligible for this season's flu jab:

• People aged 65 years and over
• People with a medical condition which puts them in an 'at risk' group (see below)
• Pregnant women, at any stage of their pregnancy or recently given birth
• Unpaid and young carers e.g. someone who without payment provides help and support to a partner, child, relative, friend or neighbour
• People in long-stay residential care homes or other long stay care facilities

Those people considered to be 'at risk' are people of all ages with long-term illnesses, including:

• a chest complaint/chronic respiratory disease, e.g. asthma needing regular inhaled or oral steroids; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) including bronchitis or emphysema
• chronic heart disease/problems
• diabetes
• chronic kidney or liver disease
• chronic neurological conditions, e.g. stroke, T.I.A or multiple sclerosis (MS)
• lowered immunity due to disease or treatment, e.g. chemotherapy or radiotherapy treatment for cancer or long-term steroid use. Patients without a spleen or who have problems with their spleen.

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