Flu vaccine: Fears massive surplus from sudden drop in take-up sparked moves to make extra 377,000 people eligible for jab
Did a huge drop-off in people taking the flu vaccine push the authorities to more than double the number of people told to get it?
That’s the question being asked after health chiefs extended eligibility from people over 65 years old to everyone in Northern Ireland aged 50 and up.
The move, which came into effect a fortnight ago, meant that the number of people the government advises to get the jab based purely on their age leaped from 342,482 to 719,897.
That’s an extra 377,415 people.
Health bosses have confirmed that no extra supplies were bought in, and there are no plans to vaccinate the 50 to 64 age group in future flu seasons – meaning it wasn’t a strategic policy change.
According to the Office of National Statistics, Northern Ireland has more 50 to 64 year olds than any other age group, with around 20% of the populace falling into that cohort.
Adding them to the vaccine list means the authorities currently advise 37.4% of all people in Northern Ireland to get the jab, solely because of their age.
Vaccine take-up has been falling for a while, but sources have suggested there may have been a sudden and surprising shortfall in the number getting the jab this year, if it could be offered to so many additional people around halfway through flu season with no extra supplies to hand.
A spokeswoman for the Public Health Agency (PHA) maintained there was “a small surplus” of flu vaccines this year, adding that the authorities wanted to use it up by offering it to the 50 to 64 age range.
“Available quantities of vaccine that remain are limited,” said the spokeswoman, “and while eligibility has been extended to this group, priority should still be given to the most vulnerable patients.”
The PHA also revealed that while 83% of people aged 65 and up got the jab two years ago, last year that fell to 78%.
Statistics for this year aren’t yet available.
Declining flu vaccine uptake, stated the PHA, not only has the potential to impact at-risk individuals by putting them at greater risk of hospitalisation and death, but could also have a wider impact on the health service.
Rachel Spiers, immunisation and vaccination programme manager at the PHA, said that getting the jab lowers people’s chances of having serious complications, or even dying, from contracting winter viruses.
"Vaccines are the most effective way to prevent infectious diseases as they teach our immune system how to recognise and fight viruses,” she said. “They are safe, effective and free for all those in the eligible groups.
“We launched this year’s winter vaccination programme back in October 2024, giving people most at risk the opportunity to get vaccinated before flu started to circulate. In recent weeks the number of people who have flu has grown quickly, which is why it is so important for those most at risk to take up the offer of vaccination now if they haven’t already done so.
“If you are in an eligible group, you can get vaccinated by your GP practice, a participating community pharmacy, or HSC Trust vaccination clinic. The sooner you do this, the sooner you will help protect yourself.”