COVID-19 and influenza vaccine uptake in adults under prison care
Winter 2025/26

About this release

This report by Public Health Scotland (PHS) describes the uptake of COVID-19 and influenza vaccines in adults under prison care in Scotland during the winter of 2025/26. Influenza vaccine uptake by prison establishment, age, sex and deprivation of previous area of residence are reported for the 17 prison establishments in Scotland. COVID-19 vaccine uptake is reported for those eligible due to age only (75 years and above). Individuals with immunosuppression were also eligible for COVID-19 vaccine but PHS does not have access to the prison health data required to report uptake for this group. In winter 2025/26, all adults under prison care were eligible for influenza vaccine.

We are continuing to develop this report, and we will continue to engage with users, including the Scottish Prison Service and NHS Boards to inform further developments.

Main points

• All adults under prison care were eligible for influenza vaccine in winter 2025/26. Influenza vaccine uptake was low with 17.5% (n=1,462) of adults under prison care vaccinated by 05 January 2026. However, this was an increase of 8.2 percentage points compared to winter 2024/25. Uptake in the general population in Scotland was also higher in winter 2025/26 compared to the previous winter.
• In respect of those eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine due to their age (75 years and over), by 05 January 2026, 60.8% (n=45) of adults under prison care had received a COVID-19 vaccine. In total, 127 adults under prison care received a COVID-19 vaccine.
• Influenza and COVID-19 vaccine uptake was lower in adults under prison care than in the general population in winter 2025/26. Demographic differences will contribute to these differences in uptake but for context uptake was lower in the prison population than in the most deprived quintile in the general population. There were also differences in eligibility for influenza vaccine between the prison and general population which limits the ability to apply standardisation methods and make direct comparisons.
• There was variation in influenza vaccine uptake rates (range: 4.8% to 71.4%) in the prison population across the 17 prison establishments in Scotland.
• Influenza vaccine uptake was higher in females (28.5%; n= 90) than males (17.1%; n=1,372).
• Influenza vaccine uptake was highest in those aged 75 years and over (75.7%; n=56) and lowest in those aged 18 to 29 years (10.8%; n=176).
• Influenza vaccine uptake was highest in those who were previously resident in the least deprived areas, Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) quintile 5 (24.6%; n=69) and lowest in those previously resident in the most deprived areas, SIMD quintile 1 (15.4%; n=554).

Background

Adults under prison care are at increased risk from outbreaks of respiratory infections due to the closed setting environment of the prison. Adults under prison care are also at risk of more severe outcomes from infection due to the prevalence of long-term health conditions and often complex health needs in this population. Winter vaccination programmes offer protection against COVID-19 and influenza through vaccination of eligible individuals.

Further information

The next release of this publication will be quarter 2 (April to June) 2027.