Delivering the flu vaccine during the COVID-19 pandemic

In July 2020, the UK government announced its most ambitious seasonal influenza (‘flu) vaccination programme to date. The eligible cohorts for the annual vaccination were extended to include 50-64 year olds, people shielding and their household contacts and children in their first year of secondary school. National ambitions have increased to achieving 75% uptake across all cohorts and 100% offer for health care workers.¹ This is quite a task. Last year (2019/20), while 72.4% of over 65s were vaccinated, only 44.9% of the ‘clinical at risk’ group (patients aged 6 months to under 65 years), 43.7% of all pregnant women, 60.4% of primary school children and 43.8% of age 2 and 3 year olds received the flu vaccination.² In health care workers, 74.3% of frontline workers received the flu vaccination.³ In some areas of the country this will mean doubling the output in order to achieve the ambitions this year.