Flu Vaccine 2026–27 in Cyprus: Who Can Get It Free and Where

The 2026–27 flu vaccine in Cyprus is free for everyone aged six months and over. If you are registered with GESY, you book it with your personal doctor; if you are not, you go to one of the Ministry of Health's Adult Vaccination Centres (or a Mother and Child Health Centre for children). People aged 60 and over have been getting their jab since early October 2026, while the vaccine for younger adults and children was running late in mid-October.

Below we cover who gets priority, which vaccine you will be offered, how to book through GESY, what to do if you are outside GESY, the pharmacy shortage this autumn, and the COVID-19 and RSV jabs offered alongside.

Who can get the flu vaccine free in Cyprus in 2026–27?

The Ministry of Health announced its autumn–winter vaccination plan for flu, COVID-19 and RSV on 7 October 2026. For flu, the headline is simple: the vaccine is offered free to everyone over six months old. You do not need to fall into a risk group to qualify, but the Ministry asks certain people to come forward first because they are more likely to become seriously ill.

The president of the Cyprus Association of GESY Personal Doctors also urged younger people to get the jab this year, pointing out that healthy adults and children can still end up in hospital with flu. Last winter, Cyprus recorded seven flu deaths by mid-January 2026 and hospitals reported bed shortages, so the push to vaccinate early is real.

When does the 2026–27 campaign start, and which vaccine will you get?

The Ministry is using two vaccines this season:

• Efluelda, a higher-dose vaccine for people aged 60 and over only. The Ministry received its first 60,000 doses at the start of October, and personal doctors began vaccinating over-60s in the first ten days of the month, while stocks last.
• Vaxigrip TIV, the standard vaccine for everyone from six months. The Ministry ordered 110,000 doses, but delivery has been held up by production problems abroad. The Ministry said it would announce the start date separately; personal doctors expected it around the second half of October.

So if you are under 60 and your doctor says "not yet", that is normal this year. Flu usually peaks in Cyprus from December into February, and the vaccine takes about two weeks to give full protection, so having it in late October or November still leaves you covered for the main season. Children under nine who have never had a flu vaccine before usually need two doses at least four weeks apart; your child's doctor will tell you.

How do you book a flu jab through GESY?

If you are a GESY beneficiary, the free vaccine comes through your personal doctor. Many practices phone their eligible patients from a list, but you do not have to wait for the call.

1. Check that you are on a personal doctor's list. Log in to the Beneficiary Portal on the GESY website and look under your personal doctor. Children under 15 are registered with a children's personal doctor; teenagers aged 15–18 can be with either.
2. Call or message your doctor's practice and ask for a flu vaccination appointment. Say if you are over 60, pregnant or have a chronic condition, so they give you the right vaccine and priority.
3. Go to the appointment. The vaccine is supplied to the doctor by the Ministry, so there is no charge for the vaccine itself; the usual GESY visit rules apply.
4. Ask about your other jabs at the same time, such as pneumococcal or RSV if you are in an eligible group.

If you are new to Cyprus and not yet on a doctor's list, sort that first: our GESY guide walks through registration and choosing a personal doctor. The GESY helpline is 17000 from a Cyprus number.

For bedridden patients, the SHSO Home Care Nursing Service can vaccinate at home against flu and COVID-19. It needs an electronic referral from your personal doctor; the community nurse then contacts you to arrange a visit.

What if you are not registered with GESY?

Some residents are not GESY beneficiaries: for example, retirees on private health insurance for their residence permit, digital nomads, or people still waiting for their registration. The Ministry of Health says people outside GESY can get the flu vaccine at its Adult Vaccination Centres, and children at Mother and Child Health Centres, following each centre's schedule and consent rules. The vaccine is provided free by the Ministry.

Practical tips:

• Find your nearest centre on the Ministry's list of Adult and Travellers' Vaccination Centres (published in 2024, in Greek). Opening days change during the season, so phone before you go.
• Take photo ID: passport, Cyprus ID card or your ARC/residence document.
• For children aged 12–17, bring a consent form signed by both parents or guardians; for under-12s, book an appointment.
• Remember that the under-60 vaccine is delayed for everyone, not just GESY members.

If you have private health insurance and prefer a private doctor, ask whether they have stock. On 16 October 2026 the Ministry agreed to release 10,000 flu vaccines from its own supply for doctors practising outside GESY, after the Cyprus Medical Association warned of a shortage. The doses were expected within about two weeks. A private consultation fee applies; your doctor will tell you the cost and whether your policy covers it. See our guide to health insurance for a residence permit for how cover usually works.

Can you get the flu vaccine at a pharmacy in Cyprus?

In a normal year, pharmacies in Cyprus sell flu vaccines on the private market alongside the free GESY programme; in 2025–26 they did exactly that. This autumn is different. On 9 October 2026 the supplier of the Influvac vaccine told Cypriot pharmacies that the doses they had pre-ordered months earlier could not be delivered, and the Pancyprian Pharmaceutical Association asked the Ministry for help. The 10,000 doses the Ministry is now releasing to the private sector are limited, and reports differ on how much will reach pharmacy shelves.

Our advice: if you are in GESY, do not pay for a pharmacy vaccine; your personal doctor gives it free. If you are outside GESY and want to buy one, phone your pharmacy first to ask whether they have stock, the price, and who will give the injection, as not every pharmacy offers that.

Can you get COVID-19 and RSV vaccines at the same time?

Yes. The 2026–27 plan covers all three viruses, and all are free:

For COVID-19, wait at least four months after your last dose, or three months after a positive test. GESY members who want flu and COVID-19 in one visit can go to an Adult Vaccination Centre instead of their personal doctor. Severely immunosuppressed people may get extra COVID-19 doses on their doctor's written recommendation.

What happened in the 2025–26 season?

For comparison, the Ministry ordered about 155,000 flu doses for winter 2025–26, mainly Vaxigrip, with the first 100,000 due by the end of September 2025. Vaccination ran through personal doctors free under GESY, with pharmacies selling private stock as well, and COVID-19 jabs at the Ministry's centres. By 29 December 2025, about 110,000 people had been vaccinated, with roughly 75% uptake among vulnerable groups. This year's set-up is the same; the main changes are the separate high-dose vaccine for over-60s and the late delivery for everyone else.

What to do next

• Over 60, pregnant or with a chronic condition? Call your personal doctor this week; you do not need to wait to be contacted.
• Under 60 and healthy? Ask your doctor to put you on the list for when Vaxigrip TIV arrives, and check the Ministry of Health announcements for the start date.
• Not in GESY? Phone your nearest Adult Vaccination Centre, or look at registering with GESY if you are eligible.
• Getting ready for the cooler months? Read our guide to winter in Cyprus and our health and safety tips for life in Cyprus.