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INFLUENZA

Find most of the information you need in these resources

Always refer to your local signed PGD's in practice, and remember the Green Book takes priority over the SPmC - and sometimes WHO takes priority over the Green Book! They don't always say the same!

the new york times newspaper
Keeping up to date: Things to know in practice for 25/26:

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DELIVERING THE CURRENT INFLUENZA SEASON: Definitely have a browse on that link – you will find everything you need regarding the latest information on flu including slide sets, posters, training modules, and administration videos

"The World Health Organization (WHO) has concluded that B/Yamagata lineages are no longer circulating and are unlikely to cause future epidemics, and that inclusion of a B/Yamagata antigen as a component of influenza vaccines is no longer warranted. WHO has stated that every effort should be made to exclude this as soon as possible, across all vaccine types. To this end, manufacturers have been preparing to move to trivalent formulations"

Strains in the vaccines this year:

Egg-based vaccines:

  • A/Victoria/4897/2022 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus

  • A/Croatia/10136RV/2023 (H3N2)-like virus

  • B/Austria/1359417/2021 (B/Victoria lineage)-like virus

Cell culture- or recombinant-based vaccines:

  • A/Wisconsin/67/2022 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus

  • A/District of Columbia/27/2023 (H3N2)-like virus

  • B/Austria/1359417/2021 (B/Victoria lineage)-like virus

Things to know in practice for 26/27:

Things to know in practice about previous years:

  • Vaccine uptake in 24/25 was similar to 2023/24, reaching almost 75% in adults over 65 years, 35% in pregnant women, and 40% in clinical risk groups.

  • Uptake in adults over 65 years increased during the COVID-19 pandemic but is now returning to pre-pandemic levels. However, as the size of the older adult population is increasing year on year, more people are being vaccinated to achieve the same uptake percentage (e.g. 5.9 million in 2009/10 vs 7.6 million in 2019/20). The same pattern is not seen for clinical risk groups, with uptake remaining relatively stable during the COVID-19 pandemic and dropping now to the lowest levels recorded since before 2009/10.

  • The programme for pregnant women was introduced in 2010/11 with the highest uptake in 2017/18 (47%). Uptake has been falling since. The JCVI commented in their June minutes this:

    "It was noted that there had been a shift towards maternity services providing vaccination since the COVID-19 pandemic, instead of GPs, which was challenging as it was not something midwives had previously done, whereas GP surgeries have typically had a designated immunisation nurse to advocate for vaccination. This may be a factor in the recent decline of vaccine coverage in pregnant women."

  • In the children’s programme, 24/25 vaccine uptake in children aged 2 and 3 years old was almost 44% and 42%, respectively, almost 55% in primary school children and almost 45% in secondary school children. Uptake in 2- and 3-year-olds increased during the COVID-19 pandemic but has since returned to previous levels.

  • Vaccine uptake in frontline healthcare workers dropped in 24/25 to almost 38%, (lowest in midwives) and this is the lowest recorded level since 2010/11. The highest uptake (almost 77%) was recorded during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020/21. That's us guys. Get your own flu vaccine appointments booked in this year and let's get those disappointing stats up!

  • During last years 2024/25 influenza season in the UK, the predominant circulating strains were:

    Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09: This strain, originally responsible for the 2009 Swine Flu pandemic, has continued to circulate and was a significant contributor to the season’s cases.

    Influenza A(H3N2): Co-circulated with A(H1N1)pdm09, contributing to the seasonal influenza burden.

    Influenza B/Victoria lineage: Detected towards the end of the season.

    Notably, no wild-type B/Yamagata strain viruses have been detected since March 2020, suggesting possible eradication.

  • So, Influenza A(H1N1) dominated for most of the 24/25 season, with influenza B activity increasing in January in younger age groups. There was limited influenza A(H3N2) activity. In subtype-specific analyses across the age groups, moderate VE was demonstrated against influenza A(H1N1) and A(H3N2). Protection against

    influenza B was good across all age groups. Waning effectiveness for influenza A, but not influenza B, was seen in adults.

  • UKHSA highlighted recently published modelling estimates which suggested that vaccination had prevented approximately 100,000 hospitalisations in the 2024/25 season in England. Strong work flu vaccine!!!

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Reminders:

  • No need to expel the air bubble in pre-filled syringes

  • Don't forget travellers!

  • Store at 2–8°C; IM injection or nasal spray

  • Keep an eye on dual clinics with COVID boosters—often offered together.

  • Look out for any info on combined flu and COVID-19 vaccines appearing.

  • Don't forget to use that appointment to check for any other outstanding or eligible vaccines!

  • Children under 9yrs in clinical risk groups who have never received a vaccine for flu before should be offered two doses 1 month apart.

    Have YOU checked your own vaccine status as a HCP?

Other useful links and resources
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Want to geek out? Go deeper here:

What is Influenza anyway?

Influenza—aka “flu”—is a contagious virus that comes around every year, just like bad Christmas telly. It mutates fast, spreads faster, and comes in seasonal waves. It’s not just a heavy cold—it can floor the fittest of us and cause serious complications, especially in vulnerable groups.

What happens If you catch it?

Think fever, chills, muscle aches, sore throat, cough, and “hit by a bus” fatigue. For most, it’s a week or two of misery. But for some—especially the very young, the elderly, or those with underlying health conditions—it can lead to pneumonia, hospitalisation, or worse.

How does It Spread?

It’s airborne—spread through coughs, sneezes, and shared air in crowded places (yes, public transport counts). You can also pick it up from surfaces if you touch your face before washing your hands. The virus can live for around 24 hours on surfaces. Most UK cases of flu occur between December and February.

Does getting flu make you Immune?

Not for long. Flu mutates regularly, so immunity to one strain doesn’t mean you’re protected against the next. That’s why the vaccine changes yearly and why an annual jab is essential for those at risk.

Can it be treated?

Antivirals like oseltamivir can help—but only if taken early (within 48 hours). Mostly, it’s about managing symptoms, staying hydrated, and letting it run its course. For high-risk individuals, early treatment is more important.

Who’s most at risk?

Infants under 6 months (especially before they can be vaccinated - hence the maternal vaccination program), pregnant people, adults over 65, healthcare workers and carers of young babies, and adolescents, people with long-term conditions (e.g. asthma, diabetes) and immunocompromised individuals.

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Top reasons to encourage vaccination (when indicated):

  • Prevents infant hospitalisation and death

  • Part of UK adult, maternal, and childhood schedule

  • Required in many healthcare roles. Protect yourself and your patients. Plus, prevent time off work (or worse, working while unwell)

  • Influenza leads to hundreds of thousands of GP visits and more than ten thousand hospital stays each year.

  • Flu epidemics can kill thousands or even millions of people. The 1918 flu epidemic is estimated to have affected half the world's population. 40-50 million people died worldwide. It could literally save a life

  • In the UK it is estimated that an average of 600 people a year die from complications of flu. In some years it is estimated that this can rise to over 10,000 deaths. The WHO estimates that between 250,000 and 500,000 people around the world die from the flu every year.

  • Protect the community. Around 1 in 3 people infected by the flu virus will not show any symptoms