COVID-19 vaccinations for at risk children aged six months to four years

The NHS will start offering COVID-19 vaccinations for children with certain medical conditions aged 6 months to 4 years, in line with the advice of experts.

COVID-19 vaccinations: A guide for parents of children aged 6 months to 11 years of age at high risk (publishing.service.gov.uk)

For most children COVID-19 is mild, but infants and young children with certain conditions can become very unwell and in need of hospital treatment - they are over seven times more likely to be admitted to intensive care.

Vaccination will help to protect your child from getting seriously ill from COVID-19.

The dose for each vaccination is smaller than the dose given to those aged over 5 years old. To boost their immunity and provide longer term protection, your child will be offered two vaccinations at least 8 weeks apart.

Eligible children aged between 6 months and 4 years old will be invited to come forward for vaccination by NHS services.

Children who turn 5 years old on or after 1 June 2023, and who have certain medical conditions which mean they are at increased risk of getting seriously ill with COVID-19, will still be invited to receive the COVID-19 vaccine if they haven’t already had a dose.

If you would like your child to receive a vaccine or if you have further questions, please give us your details using the form below and a member of the vaccination team will be in touch to arrange an appointment.

Contact form 

* is required field.

Please confirm you are happy for NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board to use the details above to contact you or action your request. * Required

Can my child (aged 6 months to 4 years) receive COVID-19 vaccinations?

Children aged between 6 months and 4 years, who have certain medical conditions which mean they are at increased risk from COVID-19, will be offered two vaccinations, at least 8 weeks apart.

If your child is not at increased risk of getting seriously ill with COVID-19, they are not eligible for these vaccinations. www.england.nhs.uk/covid-increased-risk.

Which vaccine will eligible children (aged 6 months to 4 years) be offered?

In line with JCVI advice, they will be offered two 3-microgram doses of the Comirnaty® vaccine, which is a smaller dose compared to older children and adults.

Why is it important that my child (aged 6 months to 4 years) is vaccinated?

While for most young children, COVID-19 is mild, the JCVI has advised that children with certain medical conditions are at increased risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19. They can become very unwell and may need to go to hospital if they get the infection. These children should therefore be offered vaccination to help protect them from COVID-19.

How can I arrange vaccination appointments for my child (aged 6 months to 4 years)?

Please complete the contact form above and a member of the team will get back in touch with you to arrange an appointment. It is not possible to book appointments for children aged 6 months to 4 years through the National Booking Service, and children in this age group cannot be vaccinated at a walk-in vaccination site.

My child (aged 6 months to 4 years) has recently had COVID-19. Can they still receive their vaccinations?

If your child has COVID-19, or you think they might, please wait until they’ve recovered before getting them vaccinated. You should also wait if your child has a fever or seems particularly unwell with any illness. If they have recently recovered from an illness, there is no need to delay vaccination.

My child is at increased risk from COVID-19, but they have recently turned 5. Can they still get their vaccine?

If your child is at increased risk and turned 5 years old on or after 1 June 2023, they will be invited by local NHS services to receive the COVID-19 vaccine if they have not had any doses.

If your child is at increased risk and turned 5 years old before 1 June 2023, or if they have already had a dose, in most cases, they will have to wait until the autumn to get their next dose.

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