More people than ever in Scotland will be offered the free flu vaccine to help protect as many lives as possible this winter.

Those people eligible for the free flu vaccine now include:

• those aged 50 and over
• those aged 6 months to 49 years who have certain underlying health conditions which increase risk
• pregnant women
• children aged 2-5 (not yet at school)
• health and social care staff
• unpaid and young carers
• all primary and secondary school age children, (in school setting)
• independent NHS contractors, (GP, dental and optometry practices, community pharmacists),
• laboratory staff (working on COVID-19 testing) including support staff
• teachers, nursery teachers and support staff in close contact with pupils
  prison staff and support staff in close contact with the prison population (delivering direct detention services)
• those in the prison population

The flu vaccination programme will run from this September until March 2022. All those who are eligible are being urged to take up the offer as soon as possible when invited to protect themselves and others and help the NHS and social care services avoid additional pressure over the winter period.