NHS England has set out plans for this year’s autumn flu vaccine campaign in a letter to GPs today.
As with last year the over-65s and clinical risk groups will need to wait until October to be vaccinated.
Carers, close contacts of immunocompromised individuals, those in care homes and frontline social care staff will also be in the October cohort.
Pregnant women, school children and two to three year olds can be vaccinated from September, the letter said.
All frontline healthcare workers will also be offered flu vaccine from the start of October, with the exact date yet to be confirmed.
‘Employers should make the vaccine accessible for all frontline staff, encourage staff to get vaccinated, and monitor the delivery of their programmes,’ it stated.
There is no change in eligibility from the 2024 winter flu campaign with the later start date following advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.
Last year the JCVI recommended that due to waning of flu vaccine’s effectiveness in adults, it is preferable to vaccinate individuals closer to the time when the flu virus is likely to circulate – typically peaking in December or January – to provide the best protection.
Flu circulation in children usually precedes that in adults hence the earlier start in these groups dependent on stocks and delivery.
Manufacturers have been advised by the World Health Organisation to remove the B/Yamagata antigen from the 2025/26 flu vaccines as this strain is no longer circulating and is unlikely to cause future epidemics.
The adjuvanted influenza vaccine (aTIV) is now licensed from age 50 years and over and is recommended in this group, the JCVI has advised.
GP and pharmacy service specifications will be updated and published in due course following engagement with relevant representative bodies, the letter added.
Guidance will also follow on how the flu programme should be aligned to any autumn Covid-19 vaccination programme.
Professor Azeem Majeed, a GP and professor of primary care and public health at Imperial College London, said: ‘Delaying the NHS flu vaccination programme to October compresses the timeframe for delivery of vaccines, thereby placing additional strain on primary care teams already managing increasing winter pressures from October onwards. This shift in timing may also result in missed opportunities to vaccinate vulnerable groups who could have received their flu jab during routine appointments in September.
‘Additionally, delaying vaccinations risks leaving individuals unprotected if flu cases rise earlier than expected, potentially increasing transmission and severe illness. While the decision to delay the start of the programme aims to optimise immunity closer to the peak flu season, a more flexible approach, allowing early vaccination for those at higher risk while maintaining the October push, could better balance operational efficiency and public health benefits.’
The latest figures on flu cases this year show activity is now reduced to medium levels with hospitalisations and GP consultations decreasing.
Flu vaccine data to the end of January shows vaccine uptake was 39.7% for those under 65 years in a clinical risk group, 34.8% in all pregnant women and 74.6% for all those aged 65 years and over.
In children, uptake was 41.4% for two-year olds and 43.2% for three-year olds. Full data is expected at the end of March.
At the start of the 2024 campaign health security officials raised concerns about falling flu vaccine uptake as data showed 18,000 deaths over the last two winters.
Vaccination data for England showed a drop in flu vaccine uptake rates between 2022/23 and 2023/24 across all eligible groups, with only four in 10 people with long-term conditions taking up the offer last year.
‘We would like to thank everyone for their hard work in supporting the national programme and the significant contribution this makes to helping protect individuals from flu and relieving pressure on the NHS and social care’, NHS England said.
They are completely barmy.