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Big Week: get vaccinated to protect yourself and loved ones this winter!

Big Week: get vaccinated to protect yourself and loved ones this winter!

10 Nov 2026

Big Week is a coordinated London-wide programme of over 1600 events taking place across all the capital to showcase the breadth of vaccination and winter wellness activity happening. ??

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Unlike a ‘bad cold’, flu is a serious respiratory infection, caused by influenza viruses, that can lead to pneumonia, respiratory failure and hospitalisation, particularly among the very young, older people, pregnant women and those with long-term medical conditions.

Find a Big Week vaccination event near you!

Whittington Hospital Vaccination Station
 
We will be vaccinating at our Hospital Vaccination Station this week!
 
Location: Vaccination Station, Level One in the main hospital atrium in the central pod beside the Whittington Court canteen.
Just take the lift or stairs to Level One from the main entrance.

Opening hours: 9am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday.
 
At Whittington Hospital, we are currently offering flu, Covid and RSV vaccinations.
 
Members of the public are welcome to walk in or book via the NHS website or find your nearest pharmacy providing flu vaccinations.
 
Who is eligible for winter 2026 flu vaccine?
  • Adults aged 65 and over
  • Adults aged 18 to under 65 in clinical risk groups (long-term health conditions)
  • Carers (paid and unpaid)
  • Children – age 2 to 3 years, primary school age and secondary school age.
  • Frontline health and social care workers
  • Live with someone who has a weakened immune system
  • People aged 16 and over experiencing homelessness
  • Pregnant people
 
What are the risks from flu?
 
Flu spreads easily between people when they cough or sneeze. Vaccination is the best way to prevent the disease spreading. Vaccination takes just a few minutes, yet it offers real protection, both for you and for the people around you. Getting it done now means you’re already protected by the time winter pressures and illness really start to bite.

Last winter, 3,800 people died from flu in England. But it is estimated that flu vaccinations prevented an estimated 104,000 hospital admissions and 7,100 deaths.

The NHS injectable flu vaccines do not contain any live virus so cannot give you flu. Vaccines work by teaching your body to recognise and deal with viruses in the future. Side effects of the vaccine are usually mild and show that your body is producing antibodies to protect itself.

For people most at risk, having your free NHS flu vaccine reduces your chances of becoming seriously ill. It also helps you recover faster if you do catch the virus and it lowers the risk of needing hospital care.

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