Just 55.5% of primary school-aged children received a flu vaccine last winter, leaving around two million of those eligible unvaccinated, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has warned.
Research published by the body on September 7 showed a 1% increase in flu jab uptake among this age group from the previous year - but the vaccination rate remains “well below” pre-pandemic levels, which surpassed 60% in the winter of 2019/20.
Read more: Jim Mackey updates on pharmacy and children’s flu vaccinations
The UKHSA said uptake for the nose-spray flu vaccine, available to primary school children since the 2014/15 flu season, has also seen a decrease in previous years since peaking at 62.5% in 2020/21.
Its statistics from last year’s flu season estimate that the vaccine prevented 52% of children from having to visit their GP and 68% from being hospitalised.
It has urged parents to “ensure consent forms are returned in good time so their children do not miss out when school immunisation teams visit” this flu season.
Read more: Expanded pharmacy children’s flu vac service launching this year
UKHSA flu programme lead Dr Suzanna McDonald said she was “concerned” by the low vaccination uptake figures among primary school-aged children.
She added that vaccinating children against flu “not only helps to protect them, but also helps stop them spreading it into the wider community and to those who may be even more vulnerable”.
Read more: ‘Get the evidence’: MPs call for pharmacy to support vac uptake
The UKHSA also reported “a drop in uptake of all of the routine childhood vaccinations”, and said “high vaccine uptake is needed to help prevent outbreaks and the spread of serious infections”.
It comes after a US study revealed that children treated with early antiviral flu treatment Oseltamivir were 31% less likely to be admitted to the ICU than children who were not treated with the drug.
And it follows Community Pharmacy England confirming that an expanded pharmacy service for children’s flu vaccinations will launch from October 1.
