Each year, as part of the National Flu Immunisation Programme - Public Health England (PHE) produces a flu plan with an aim to reduce the impact that flu has.

National Guidance: Protection against flu can be provided by

1. Direct immunisation of individuals
2. Indirectly through Herd Immunity (recent expansion to include school aged children -  supports Herd immunity)

2018/19 Winter Flu Plan

The update published 26th March^a confirmed the following groups as eligble for an NHS flu vaccinatios:

• People aged 65yrs or over
• People aged >6mths with a serious long term condition
• Pregnant women
• Children 2 to 9 (but not 10 or older) on 31st Aug 2018
• Primary school aged children in former primary school pilot areas
• People living in long-stay residential care homes or long stay care facilities
• People in receipt of carers allowance or where an elderly of disabled person welfare may be at risk if the carer falls ill
• Consideration for household contacts of immunocompromised individuals
• Frontline health and social care workers
• Hospice workers

Refer to the NHS PGD when available for full details

Vaccine uptake targets:

^a  https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/694779/Annual_national_flu_programme_2018-2019.pdf