Medical update
Seasonal vaccinations update
The NHS offers free seasonal vaccinations to certain groups of people, to protect against illnesses including flu and COVID-19. You may hear vaccinations called jabs, or if you live in Scotland, jags.
Free vaccinations are primarily offered to people at higher risk of getting seriously ill if they catch an infection. This often includes people with lymphoma because of the effects it has on the body’s ability to fight infection.
The exact date each vaccination becomes available changes every year. Vaccinations for flu and COVID-19 are now open, but others may not be available yet. You can check the NHS website to see which vaccination programmes are currently open and who is eligible for each.
Why is vaccination important?
Vaccines teach your immune system how to make the antibodies needed to fight a particular infection. This makes your body better at protecting you from that infection. Having a vaccination will not necessarily stop you from getting the infection altogether but aims to reduce your chance of getting severe symptoms and needing treatment in hospital.
The viruses that cause infections such as flu and COVID-19 can change over time, and the types of infection that circulate each season are different. Vaccines are updated each season to protect against the types of infections experts think are most likely to be around. The protection we get from vaccines also fades with time. For these reasons it is important for people at risk to get vaccines every time they are offered.
Flu vaccine
You can get the flu vaccine for free on the NHS if you:
- are aged 65 or over, including those who will be 65 before 31 March 2027
- have certain long-term health conditions (this includes lymphoma)
- live with someone who has a weakened immune system (including someone with lymphoma)
- are the main carer for an older or disabled person, or receive a carer’s allowance
- are pregnant
- live in a care home
Other groups, including healthcare workers, are also entitled to a free flu vaccination.
Flu vaccinations have been available for all eligible groups from 1 October 2026. You may have been offered vaccination as early as 1 September if you were about to start chemotherapy or another immunosuppressive treatment at this time.
If you are eligible for vaccination and live in England, you do not need to wait for an invitation. You can book on your NHS App or on the NHS website. Most people will have their flu jab at their GP surgery or a community pharmacy.
You may be able to have the flu jab at a hospital if you are attending regularly for treatment.
If you live in Scotland or Wales, you should have received an invitation to book if you are eligible. In Scotland, you can book on the NHS Scotland website or by calling 0800 030 8013. In Wales, you can book on the NHS Wales App or by contacting your local GP practice. In Northern Ireland, your GP may invite you to get your flu vaccine with them, or you can get it from a community pharmacy.
If you are not sure if you are eligible, speak to your GP or medical team. There is also a more detailed list of the eligible health conditions on the NHS website.
The flu vaccine usually takes up to 14 days to work. The vaccine given to adults does not contain live virus, so you cannot catch flu from having the jab.
Important advice for people affected by lymphoma:
- You should ideally have the flu jab before you start treatment for lymphoma. This is because there is evidence to suggest the flu vaccine is less effective once you start taking treatments such as rituximab.
- If already on treatment, ask your medical team about the best time to have the vaccination.
- If you have had a transplant, you should receive the flu vaccination 6 months
- post-treatment and annually thereafter.
- Some children have the nasal flu vaccine, which is a live vaccine. You should avoid children who have had it for 2 weeks following their vaccination if your immune system is weakened, which includes people who have lymphoma.
COVID-19 vaccine
Vaccinations are still the best way to offer protection from COVID-19, but the virus changes, and protection also fades over time. If you are at increased risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19, you should be able to get a COVID-19 vaccination each spring and early winter. You are considered to be at increased risk if you are:
- aged 75 or over, including those who will be 75 before 31 January 2027
- aged 6 months to 74 years and have a weakened immune system because of a health condition or treatment (which includes lymphoma)
- an adult living in a care home.
If you live in England and are at increased risk, you can now book your COVID-19 vaccination either on your NHS App or on the NHS website. In Scotland and Wales, the NHS will contact you if you are eligible. In Northern Ireland, you will be contacted by your GP. If you are a care home resident, you may be offered the vaccine in your care home. Some people only need one COVID-19 vaccination per season, but you may be offered a second dose. Eligible groups include people who have, or are in follow up from, some types of lymphoma. It also includes people who have recently had some types of lymphoma treatment. Your medical team should tell you if this applies to you.
Shingles vaccine
You’re eligible for the shingles vaccine if you’re aged 18 or over and at higher risk because you have a severely weakened immune system. This includes:
- some people with blood cancer (such as leukaemia or lymphoma)
- some people with HIV or AIDS
- some people who’ve recently had a stem cell transplant, radiotherapy, chemotherapy or an organ transplant
- people taking certain medicines that severely weaken the immune system.
Ask your GP or care team if you’re not sure if you’re eligible. You’ll be given two doses of the shingles vaccine. These are given between 8 weeks and 6 months apart. You can get shingles more than once, so it’s important to be vaccinated even if you’ve had shingles before.
Other vaccinations
You may also be entitled to other vaccinations this autumn/winter including the pneumococcal vaccine and RSV vaccine. Find out more about vaccinations,along with treatment available for COVID-19 and other ways to stay healthy on our day-to-day living page at lymphoma-action.org.uk/DayToDay
With thanks to Dr Cathy Burton for reviewing this article.
