In October, many people will receive their seasonal flu vaccine invitation again. The purpose of this vaccine is to protect people with additional risk, for example due to being 60 years of age or older or due to particular medical conditions, from becoming seriously ill from flu. They can get the flu vaccine from their GP or in-house physician.
Most people will only have mild flu symptoms, but for elderly people and people with vulnerable health, the virus can have serious implications. The flu vaccine offers the best protection – on average, those vaccinated are 40% less likely to end up in hospital with flu. The vaccine also makes it less likely that you will infect others. If you should nevertheless catch the flu after being vaccinated, the illness will usually be less severe.
Flu vaccine and pregnancy
Flu can also make newborn babies very ill. For this reason, any person who has been pregnant for 22 weeks or more in the period from 15 October 2025 until 1 March 2026 can also get the flu vaccine. This will protect both your baby and yourself against flu.
The midwife or gynaecologist will discuss this vaccination with you and can answer all your questions. If you are pregnant, you can make an appointment to get the flu vaccine with the Well-Baby Clinic. The vaccine can be administered together with the 22-week vaccination against pertussis (whooping cough) (external link). It is safe to have both vaccinations at once.
Pneumococcal disease vaccine
If you were born in 1965 or 1947 or before that year, you will also receive an invitation from your GP or in-house physician for a pneumococcal disease vaccine this autumn. This vaccine protects against diseases caused by pneumococci, such as pneumonia. This vaccine can be administered together with the flu vaccine.