Super Bodies has simple advice for parents, carers and people who are pregnant on vaccinations, common winter illnesses and how to help protect babies before birth and children as they grow.

Children’s bodies work hard every day to fight off bugs and infections.

While most coughs, colds, sore throats and earaches get better with rest, fluids and time, illnesses such as flu can sometimes make children seriously unwell.

This winter, there are simple steps you can take to help protect their Super Body.

Their Super Body starts before birth
If you’re pregnant, vaccines can help protect you and your baby.

Some of the protection your body makes after vaccination passes to your baby before they are born. This can help protect them during their first weeks and months of life.

Flu vaccine
You can have the flu vaccine at any stage of pregnancy during the flu vaccination programme.

Flu can be more serious when you are pregnant. The vaccine helps protect you. Some protection also passes to your baby and lasts for their first few months after birth.

For winter 2026/27, pregnant women and children can get the free NHS flu vaccine from 1 September 2026.

Whooping cough vaccine
Whooping cough can be very serious for young babies.

The vaccine is usually offered at around 20 weeks of pregnancy. You can have it from 16 weeks.

Protection from the vaccine passes to your baby before birth. This helps protect them until they can have their own vaccination at 8 weeks old.

RSV vaccine
RSV is a common virus. It can cause serious breathing problems in some babies.

The RSV vaccine is offered from 28 weeks of pregnancy. It helps protect your baby from serious RSV illness during their first six months.

You should have the RSV vaccine during every pregnancy.

Have each vaccine when it is offered. You do not need to wait to have your pregnancy vaccines together.

Speak to your midwife, maternity team or GP surgery if you have questions about vaccines during pregnancy.

Protect your child from flu
Flu is not the same as a bad cold.

It can make children very unwell. Every winter, thousands of children in the UK need hospital care because of flu.

Children can also spread flu easily to other people. Vaccinating your child helps protect them and people around them.

For winter 2026/27, the free NHS flu vaccine is offered to:

• children aged 2 or 3 on 31 August 2026
• children aged 4 who have not started school
• school-aged children from Reception to Year 11
• children aged 6 months to 17 years with certain long-term health conditions.

The children’s flu programme starts from 1 September. Find out more