COVID-19: vaccines

Autumn COVID-19 vaccinations

The COVID-19 and flu vaccination programmes help to provide important protection to those eligible and their families over winter, preventing serious illness and death and helping to minimise hospitalisations during busy winter months.

COVID-19 and flu spread more easily in winter, when we spend more time together indoors, and can cause serious illness. Respiratory viruses usually reach their peak over the festive and New Year period. If you are vaccinated and catch COVID-19 or flu this winter, you will likely have milder symptoms and recover faster, reducing your risk of going into hospital. 

Latest update on COVID-19 vaccinations

Wherever possible COVID-19 and flu vaccines are to be administered at the same time.

  • The NHS booking service for COVID-19 vaccinations reopened on Thursday, 3 October 2024. 
  • The NHS will contact you if your NHS record suggests you may be eligible for a further COVID-19 vaccination.

Who can get a COVID-19 vaccine?

You may be able to get a seasonal COVID-19 vaccine in autumn 2024 if you’re at increased risk from COVID-19. For most people, vaccinations are only available seasonally. Wherever possible COVID-19 and flu vaccines are to be administered at the same time.

COVID-19 autumn boosters are available for the following eligible people:

Any questions? Ring the 119 COVID vaccination service if you've any questions

Do you need a flu jab? More about flu jabs

How to book a coronavirus COVID-19 vaccination?

If you're eligible for a COVID-19 vaccination:

  • The NHS will contact you if your NHS record suggests you may be eligible for a further COVID-19 vaccination. 
  • You can book an appointment through your registered GP or a local pharmacist using the National Booking System; or
  • You can drop-in to a COVID vaccination site or one of the pharmacies listed on this page, where no appointment is needed; or
  • Use the NHS website to Find a walk-in COVID-19 vaccination site.

Book, cancel or change a COVID-19 vaccination appointment

Local COVID-19 drop-in vaccination clinics – no appointment needed

To help with planning, if you can, please use NHS national booking system to book an appointment for your vaccination. Please only visit the clinics at the times indicated and avoid ringing for appointments.

Where they can do so, the clinical team will accommodate eligible walk-in patients at the following clinics:

Date of drop-in clinic: Tuesday, 10 December 2024
Time: 5pm–6.30pm (last walk-in 15 minutes before close)
Location: Hopwood Medical Centre, 1–3 Walton Street, Heywood OL10 2BS
A seasonal (autumn) booster vaccine clinic:

  • For people aged 12–64 in a clinical risk group
  • For people aged 65 and over

It must be at least 91 days since your last vaccination and you must have had both your first and second vaccinations.

Date of drop-in clinic: Thursday, 19 December 2024
Time: 5pm–6.30pm (last walk-in 15 minutes before close)
Location: Hopwood Medical Centre, 1–3 Walton Street, Heywood OL10 2BS
A seasonal (autumn) booster vaccine clinic:

  • For people aged 12–64 in a clinical risk group
  • For people aged 65 and over

It must be at least 91 days since your last vaccination and you must have had both your first and second vaccinations.

Local pharmacies offering COVID-19 vaccinations – no appointment needed

If you're eligible you can get a vaccination from one of the following pharmacies in the borough of Rochdale. You don't need to make an appointment.

Pharmacies offering vaccinations in the Heywood area

Pharmacies offering vaccinations in the Middleton area

Pharmacies offering vaccinations in the Pennines area

Pharmacies offering vaccinations in the Rochdale area

Guidance on reducing the risk of catching COVID-19