New flu vaccine rolled out for over 65s
A new vaccine becomes available as records show more patients were admitted to intensive care units last winter due to flu.
Delegates on the final day of the Public Health England (PHE) conference, being held at the University of Warwick today, heard that a more effective flu vaccine for those aged 65 and over this winter has the potential to prevent deaths and significantly reduce the burden on the NHS.
Nationally, the vaccine, available for the first time this year in the UK for those aged 65 and over, could reduce GP consultations due to flu by 30,000, hospitalisations by over 2000 and prevent over 700 deaths in England, alleviating some of the health burden that seasonal flu places on the population, workplaces and the NHS.[1]
Across the North West, hundreds of thousands of people aged over 65 are set to benefit from the improved vaccine, with 74.6% (972,761) of people in this age group taking up the offer of flu vaccine in the region last flu season.
The newly available ‘adjuvanted’ vaccine is expected to significantly boost effectiveness by improving the body’s immune response to the vaccine. This is important because typically older adults’ bodies do not respond as well to the flu vaccine due to their naturally weaker immune systems. Older adults are also more likely to suffer complications from flu.
The broader flu vaccination programme will also be improved by offering eligible adults under 65, including pregnant women and those with long term health conditions a ‘quadrivalent’ vaccine in injected form, which protects against two strains of flu A and two strains of flu B. Last year, adults either received the trivalent or quadrivalent vaccine.
The quadrivalent vaccine contains two strains of Flu A and two strains of Flu B, as recommended by WHO. The main strains that circulated last winter were Flu A(H3N2), which largely affects older people, and Flu B.
PHE is in particular encouraging pregnant women; no matter how many weeks along they are, to get their vaccine from their GP, pharmacist or midwife this winter to protect them and their baby. Last year vaccine uptake was 47% in women who were expecting.
Published: by Radio NewsHub