Flu vaccination take-up in Lancashire 2021 vs 2022: concerning drops among pregnant women, over 65s and toddlers

What do the figures show?

Official figures seen by the Post compare the percentage of eligible people registered with a GP who had been vaccinated against flu by the end of November in 2022 compared to 2021.

In Lancashire this year, 76 per cent of the over 65s, 25.5 per cent of pregnant women, and 29.8 per cent of two and three year olds had a flu vaccination by November 2022.

This compares to higher take-ups last year, when by the end of November 2021, 82.6 per cent of the over 65s, 33.9 per cent of pregnant women, and 36.4 per cent of two and three year olds had the flu vaccination.

In total this sees a drop of 6.6 per cent among the elderly, 8.4 per cent amongst pregnant women, and 6.6 per cent amongst toddlers respectively in Lancashire; a pattern mirrored across England, although nationally the decline amonst the elderly and the pregnant is not so severe.

In England, the number of over 65s getting the flu jab dropped by 3 per cent, pregnant women by 3.9 per cent and two and three year olds by 6.7 per cent between November 2021 and 2022.

What do officials say about this drop?

Speaking last week, NHS director of vaccinations and screening, Steve Russell said: “"With hospital cases for flu at their highest yet this winter with 5,500 beds occupied by patients with flu and more than 9,000 patients with Covid last week, the message is clear – anyone who has been invited for a flu vaccine but yet to take it up, should come forward now.”

Why are fewer people having the flu jab?

Some health experts have suggested the public is suffering from ‘vaccine fatigue’ - reluctance to get yet more jabs after the coronavirus pandemic. Research from Well Pharmacy published last month showed 14% per cent people were bored of hearing about vaccines.

Its poll of 2,000 people across the UK found 25 per cent of respondents felt that there was a sense of vaccine fatigue following several Covid jabs over the last few years.

There is not yet good evidence to explain why vaccine take-up for two- and three-year-olds is lower than last year, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). But it said current vaccination rates among this age group were comparable to the levels seen before the coronavirus pandemic.

Are lower levels of vaccination to blame for the current flu outbreak?

Not according to Sarah Scobie, the deputy director of research at the Nuffield Trust.

She said: “The uptake of the flu vaccine has been lower than last year when it took place alongside a hard push from the government to boost Covid immunity as the Omicron variant spread more rapidly. However, the flu vaccine uptake for most groups has been above the level for this time of year compared with before the pandemic.

“This winter has seen an unusually harsh and early flu season which has contributed to the additional pressure on emergency and urgent care. High levels of flu in the population is driving higher flu hospitalisations rather than lower vaccine levels within specific groups of people.”