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Influenza: Vaccination

Volume 481: debated on Monday 27 October 2008

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people received the influenza vaccination in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) age group and (b) primary care trust. (229566)

There are two age groups in the influenza vaccination programme; all people aged 65 years and over; those aged under 65 years in a clinical risk group.

This information is contained in the following documents which have been placed in the Library.

Vaccination uptake among the 65 years and over and under 65 years at risk in England 2007-08;

Vaccination uptake among the 65 years and over and under 65 years at risk in England 2006-07;

Influenza vaccine uptake in patients aged 65 years and over and under 65s at risk, England 2005-06; and

Influenza vaccine uptake in patients aged 65 years and over and under 65s at risk, England 2004-05.

Data for the 2008-09 season will be available in the new year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received on reducing the age limit to 60 years for free influenza injections; and if he will make a statement. (229614)

I can confirm that the Department has received correspondence on this issue and these have been and continue to be responded to, but there have been no recent meetings.

The aim of the influenza immunisation policy is to reduce the serious morbidity and mortality due to influenza by immunising those people most likely to have a severe or complicated illness due to influenza.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) keeps the risk groups recommended influenza vaccination under regular review. This includes the review of risk groups recommended influenza vaccination because of a clinical condition and also the review of the most appropriate age(s) at which to recommend influenza vaccination.