Navigation
You are here: Main Hub » Maternity » My Pregnancy » Pregnancy and Coronavirus
NHS information about the COVID-19 vaccine, including what the vaccine helps protect against, who should have it and when, how to get it and side effects.
Winter COVID-19 vaccinations have ended.
The NHS will contact you in spring 2026 if you're eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.
COVID-19 vaccination is an important part of protecting yourself if you're at increased risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19.
The COVID-19 vaccines are offered because viruses change and protection fades over time. It's important to top up your protection if you're eligible.
Getting the COVID-19 vaccine can:
You may still get or spread COVID-19 even if you have a vaccine, so it's important to follow advice about how to avoid catching and spreading COVID-19.
You may be offered a COVID-19 vaccine in spring if you:
The NHS will contact you if you're eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.
It's usually offered on the NHS in spring and early winter.
When the COVID-19 vaccine is available, there will be different ways to get the vaccine. You may be able to:
The COVID-19 vaccine is given as an injection.
Most people only need 1 dose of the COVID-19 vaccine when it's available.
Some people need an extra dose of the COVID-19 vaccine if they have a health condition or treatment that severely weakens their immune system. For example, if they have had a stem cell transplant or CAR-T therapy.
Your GP or specialist will assess your risk and tell you if you need an extra dose of the vaccine.
They will advise you on when to get vaccinated based on your treatment plan, and help you find a local appointment.
Speak to your GP or specialist for more information.
If your GP or specialist cannot arrange an appointment for you, you can contact your local NHS COVID-19 vaccination service.
Find local COVID-19 vaccination contacts on the NHS England website
In winter, you can have the COVID-19 vaccine at the same time as the flu vaccine or RSV vaccine.
Most people who are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine can have it, including if you're pregnant or breastfeeding.
Some people are only offered certain vaccines – for example, if you're under 18 years old.
Children under 12 years old will be given smaller doses than older children and adults.
Most people with allergies can have the COVID-19 vaccine, including if you've had a mild allergic reaction to a previous dose, such as a rash, swelling, wheezing or hives.
If you've ever had an allergic reaction, tell the healthcare staff at your appointment before you're vaccinated.
If you're at risk of a severe allergic reaction, vaccination staff or your GP may refer you to an expert allergist or specialist to assess your risk.
They may advise you to have the COVID-19 vaccine at a specialist clinic or hospital where you can be monitored. This will only happen in rare cases – for example, if you have a history of anaphylaxis.
If you have, or think you have, COVID-19, wait until you're feeling better before having the vaccine.
You should also wait if you have a high temperature or feel very unwell with any illness.
If you've recently recovered from COVID-19, there is no need to wait to get the vaccine.
The COVID-19 vaccines given in the UK are made by Pfizer.
You can check the ingredients in the patient leaflets:
The most common side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine are mild and get better within a week.
They can include:
If you or your child get side effects, rest and take paracetamol or paracetamol for children to help you feel better.
More serious side effects, such as a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis), are very rare. The person who vaccinates you will be trained to deal with allergic reactions and treat them immediately.
There have been rare cases of inflammation of the heart (myocarditis) reported after COVID-19 vaccination. Most people who had this recovered following rest and simple treatments.
The vaccine cannot give you a COVID-19 infection.
You or your child have had a COVID-19 vaccine and:
You can call 111 or get help from 111 online.
You or your child have any of these symptoms within a few days of being vaccinated:
Do not drive to A&E. Ask someone to drive you or call 999 and ask for an ambulance.
Bring any medicines you take with you.
COVID-19 vaccines in use in the UK have all met strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness.
The safety of the vaccines has been extensively reviewed in both adults and children by the independent Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
The MHRA are continuously monitoring the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines and reports of serious side effects are very rare.
This information covers COVID-19 vaccination information for England.
Information for other parts of the UK:
Content last reviewed by the NHS: 02 September 2027
Content last collected from the NHS: 27 March 2026
Thank you for visiting the Women’s Health Sussex website. We’re continually expanding our resources to support your health and wellbeing. While many sections are now live, some areas are still being developed.
Women's Health Sussex is continually evolving, and your feedback helps us secure future funding and improve our service. If you’ve found our website useful, please take a moment to share your thoughts - it really makes a difference.
Help Us, Help You
Your choices will be saved as a non-identifying cookie. This means that each time you load a webpage from this website, your chosen accessibility options will be applied. These cookies will last for 28 days before resetting.
Please translate the page prior to using Text to Speech if you'd like the page read in a different language.
Select a language from the Google provided selector below.
When text to speech is active, you can click the play button to hear the whole sites content read aloud. You can also highlight a section of text and press play, to hear only the highlighted text.
A screen mask is a reading tool which follows your cursor. It allows you to remove distractions from around the page and gives a clear area of focus.
Use these icons to increase, decrease or reset the size of the text throughout the site.
Change the colour of text and the background of the site with the selectors below. This removes images and makes the content across the site easier to read.