Seasonal flu vaccine programme
Influenza (flu) is a viral infection affecting the lungs and airways. Complications include bacterial pneumonia and can be life threatening especially in older people and those with certain underlying health conditions. There are two types of influenza affecting people: influenza A and influenza B.
Flu occurs every winter in the UK and is a primary factor in NHS winter pressures. It impacts on those who become ill, the NHS services that provide direct care, and on the wider health and social care system that supports people in at-risk groups.
Nationally in the 2019 to 2020 season, low levels of influenza activity were observed in the community with circulation of influenza A dominating the season. Influenza transmission resulted in medium impact through secondary care indicators (hospitalisations and ICU/HDU admissions).
For most healthy people, flu is an unpleasant but usually self-limiting disease with recovery generally within a week. However, there is a higher risk of severe illness from flu for some at-risk groups.
In 2021/22 seasonal flu vaccine offered annually to:
- Those aged 65 years and over.
- Those aged six months to under 65 in clinical risk groups.
- All pregnant women
- All two-, three-, and four-year-olds
- All children in school years: reception to year 5
- Those in long-stay residential care homes or other long stay care facilities
- Carers
- Frontline health and social care workers
Table 9: Seasonal flu Vaccination Coverage North Tyneside
| Adult Seasonal flu Vaccination | England | North Tyneside |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 65+ (CCG) (1 Sep - 31 Dec 22) | 78.4% | 82.3% |
| Under 65 -at risk groups (CCG) (1 Sep - 31 Dec 22) | 46.3% | 51.0% |
| Pregnant women (CCG) (1 Sep - 31 Dec 22) | 33.2% | 39.4% |
| Frontline Health care workers at regional level (1 Sep – 31 Dec 22) | 46.7% | 51.4% |
| Children Seasonal flu Vaccination – Not in a clinical risk group | England | North Tyneside |
|---|---|---|
| All 2yrs (combined) (1 Sep – 31 Dec 22) | 64.1% | 55.2% |
| 3yrs (combined) (1 Sep – 31 Dec 22) | 57.7% | 66.6% |
| All primary school age children (age 4 to 11 years old) | 55.5% | 64.4% |
North Tyneside has higher coverage rate than England across all aspects of the seasonal flu vaccination programme, except for the Under 2 years programme.
Service improvements within the school aged immunisation service have allowed for further analysis at education setting level. Overall uptake has improved from previous years due to the productive collaboration between the service and education settings. However, inequalities in uptake across the borough are evident and will be addressed in future programmes.