Celebrating the power of immunisation

Health leaders in Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland (LLR) are marking world immunisation week which starts from today, Thursday 24 April 2025, by reminding local people about the life saving benefits of routine vaccinations and the immunity this provides to our communities. Globally over the last 50 years, essential vaccines have saved at least 154 million lives. That’s one life saved every 10 seconds, every day, for five decades[i].

Dr Virginia Ashman, clinical lead for the immunisation programme in LLR said: “In today’s interconnected world, an outbreak anywhere is a threat everywhere. By supporting the NHS recommended vaccinations schedule, we are not just helping to save lives, we’re also keeping deadly outbreaks from diseases such as measles, Covid-19, diphtheria, and many other vaccine preventable diseases out of our communities. Vaccines truly are are one of humanity’s greatest achievements.”

Vaccines can only offer protection if people get vaccinated when invited or advised by their GP practice, midwife, or healthcare practitioner. The NHS provides a routine vaccination schedule for pregnant women, babies, children, and adults, offering protection against various diseases. This schedule covers a range of vaccines, with specific timing for each, to build immunity at different stages of life.

Dr Ashman continues: “The NHS vaccination schedule has been meticulously developed to provide people with vaccines at the most appropriate stages of life. This is because we know that getting vaccinated against specific diseases at a certain age or life stage can provide the greatest level of protection. It’s also important to remember that some long-lasting vaccinations such as the MMR vaccine are usually only administered in early childhood, but other diseases and viruses such as flu and Covid-19 require eligible people to have top-up vaccinations seasonally or annually to help protect against current variants.”

To help local people know which vaccine they or anyone in their care is eligible for during pregnancy and from birth all the way through to old age, including vaccinations for those with a weakened immune system there is a dedicated online vaccination hub which can be found here: https://leicesterleicestershireandrutland.icb.nhs.uk/vaccinations/. Your GP practice, your child’s red book and the NHS App can also provide details of vaccines you, or anyone in your care have had, or could be due for.

Seasonal vaccinations, such as the spring Covid-19 vaccine, which is available now, can be provided to all eligible people at a range of locations across LLR. This can include booking a vaccination appointment via the national booking site (NBS), and getting vaccinated at a walk-in clinic, their GP practice, participating community pharmacy or at a specialist clinic at Leicester’s hospitals.

Dr Ashman concludes: “World immunisation week helps us to remember the power of vaccines and the global benefits they bring. The best way to offer protection for everyone in our communities from birth is to help prevent the spread of vaccine preventable diseases. Please check that you and your family are fully up to date, if you think you or your child have missed any vaccinations, please contact your GP practice. By keeping on top of all the recommended NHS vaccinations we can all get the best possible protection against viruses and diseases to help prevent our loved ones from becoming seriously unwell.”

In LLR there is currently a range of vaccinations being offered to the local population including:

• The spring Covid-19 vaccine for eligible people – available until 17 June 2025,
• HPV vaccines available to all children aged 12 – 13 and in school year 8,
• RSV vaccine – This vaccine is recommended for pregnant women from 28 weeks of pregnancy and for adults turning 75 years old,
• Whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine – is usually offered to pregnant women at 20 weeks, but they can have it anytime from 16 weeks until they deliver their baby,
• There are other vaccines that are offered all year round to eligible people including the NHS immunisation schedule for babies and young children and other vaccines such as the shingles vaccination that is offered to older people.

To find out more about all NHS recommended vaccination please visit the LLR ICB online vaccination hub: www.leicesterleicestershireandrutland.icb.nhs.uk/vaccinations/.

[i] Source World Health Organisation – https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-immunization-week/2025/about-the-campaign