Pneumococcal and shingles vaccination data
PHS vaccination surveillance dashboard

About this release

This release by Public Health Scotland (PHS) provides the most up to date information on uptake and coverage of pneumococcal and shingles vaccination, alongside data on those who are eligible for vaccination.

Main points

Pneumococcal:

• As of 31 March 2024, coverage of the pneumococcal vaccine among the eligible population in Scotland was 71.7%.
• Specifically, among those aged 65 years and older, coverage was 81.8%. For those aged 2- to 64-years-old and who are at higher risk of developing complications from a pneumococcal infection, coverage was 53.5%.
• Coverage in the eligible population was lower among those living in the most deprived areas compared with the least deprived areas (63.1% vs. 78.6%), a difference of 15.5%.
• From 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024, uptake of pneumococcal vaccine (i.e. eligible individuals who received a vaccine during this time-period) was 15.0% (14.9% in 65+ and 15.1% in at-risk group).
• During this period, 9.4% of eligible individuals living in the most deprived areas were vaccinated, while 20.3% of eligible individuals living in the least deprived areas were vaccinated, a difference of 10.9%.

Shingles:

• As of 31 May 2024, coverage of the complete course of shingles vaccine among the eligible population in Scotland (aged 65 years, aged 70-79 years, and severely weakened immune system) was 64.1%.
• Coverage was 72.4% for those aged 70-79 years, 17.7% for those aged 65 years, and for individuals with a severely weakened immune system, coverage was 50.5%. Note that the shingles vaccine was first introduced for those aged 65 years on 1 September 2023.
• Among the eligible population, individuals from the most deprived areas were less likely to receive the shingles vaccine compared with individuals from the least deprived areas (53.8% vs. 72.3%), a difference of 18.5%.
• From 1 September 2023 to 31 May 2024, uptake of the shingles dose 1 vaccine was 39.3% and dose 2 was 46.2% in all eligible individuals (65 years: dose 1 = 55.7%, dose 2 = 31.4%, 70-79 years: dose 1 = 29.3%, dose 2 = 53.1%, severely weakened immune: dose 1 = 50.7%, dose 2 = 58.0%).
• During this period, 29.3% of eligible individuals living in the most deprived areas were vaccinated with dose 1 and 34.2% with dose 2, while 49.6% of individuals living in the least deprived areas were vaccinated with dose 1 and 52.7% with dose 2, a difference of 20.3% for dose 1 and 18.5% for dose 2.

Background

Vaccine uptake and coverage data for shingles and pneumococcal are included on the PHS vaccination dashboard PHS Vaccination Surveillance. Uptake is the proportion of eligible individuals who received a vaccine during a specific time period (e.g., year), excluding those previously vaccinated. Coverage is the proportion of eligible individuals who have been vaccinated in the past, regardless of when they received the vaccine. This represents a snapshot at a single point in time (specific date).

The pneumococcal vaccine provides protection against pneumococcal infections which may result in life-threatening invasive disease such as pneumonia, meningitis, and septicaemia. The pneumococcal vaccine is recommended for all people aged 65 years and over, and people aged 2 to 64 years old who are at higher risk of developing complications from a pneumococcal infection. A full list of those eligible for the pneumococcal vaccine is available on NHS inform. There is also a routine infant programme for babies from age 12 weeks.

The shingles vaccine can reduce the risk of getting shingles and the risk of complications. The main complication from shingles is post-hepatic neuralgia, a neuropathic pain that can persist for months or years and the risk and severity increase with age. Further information about eligibility and getting the shingles vaccine is available on NHS inform and from the Chief Medical Officer for Scotland letter on shingles vaccination.

Further information

You can access the interactive dashboards on the PHS website PHS Vaccination Surveillance.

The next release of this publication will be Q3 2024 (October to December 2024).