Flu jab rates below target for at-risk groups in Bedford

Flu jab rates were below target for groups at higher risk from the virus in Bedford last year, figures reveal, as the Government aims to ramp up vaccinations this autumn.

Free flu immunisation is being offered to millions more people this year to ease pressure on healthcare services in case Covid-19 continues into the winter. Targets for existing groups are also increasing.

But with uptake rates already falling below required levels across the country, public health experts say achieving the new goals will be a major challenge and have called for extra resources.

Public Health England figures show just 40.5 per cent of clinically “at risk” people in Bedford had the vaccine between September and February – well below the target of at least 55.0 per cent.

The group includes those aged between six months and 64 years old with serious diseases, the severely obese and people with disabilities who are at greater risk of developing serious complications if they catch flu.

A free vaccine is also offered to people aged 65 or over – the uptake rate in Bedford for people in this age bracket was 70.4 per cent – short of the 75.0 per cent minimum.

The Government wants to expand the programme to include those shielding from the coronavirus and members of their household, health and social care workers, and later to all those aged 50 or over.

It says this could amount to more than 30million people including existing target groups – double the number of vaccinations recorded in Public Health England’s 2019-20 flu report.

Professor Martin Marshall, chairman of the Royal College of GPs, said “the very real threat of a second wave” of the coronavirus makes this year’s flu programme more important than ever.

He added: “The additional number of patients and ongoing circulation of Covid-19 will be a major challenge for GPs and practices who will be delivering this year’s programme with social distancing measures in place.”

Dr Doug Brown, chief executive of the British Society for Immunology, called for more resources and a high-profile campaign to explain to the public why getting vaccinated is so important.

Free vaccinations are also being extended to children in the first year of secondary school.

It is already offered to all primary school children, and 61.3 per cent of those eligible in Bedford were vaccinated last winter, lower than the target of at least 65.0 per cent.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “We already have some of the best flu vaccine uptake rates in Europe, but this winter more than ever it is vital that everybody eligible gets their flu vaccine to protect themselves and support the NHS and social care."