The number of people receiving a flu vaccine across England has increased by over a quarter, as cases of both influenza and Covid-19 start to climb at the start of the viral season.
Data from England’s National Health Service (NHS) shows that the flu jab has been administered to 4.3 million people, a 28% rise from 3.36 million who received the vaccine at the same point last year.
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The vaccination drive comes as the flu season commences. Influenza infections start to uptick around October, with peaks usually coming in December. Vaccines can help protect against the flu and are offered to people every year at higher risk of becoming seriously ill. Caused by the influenza virus, flu is significantly more serious than the common cold, which is caused by a wide range of viruses.
The UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA’s) latest surveillance data showed that flu positivity increased from 1.9% to 3.3% and Covid-19 positivity in hospital settings increased from 11.7% in the previous week to 12.9%.
One of the key changes to this year’s vaccine programme is the switch from quadrivalent (QIV) to trivalent (TIV) vaccines in inactivated influenza vaccines (IIV).
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the composition of influenza vaccine strains each year based on global virus trends. For the 2025/26 season, WHO recommends the use of the trivalent vaccine for the Northern Hemisphere. This is because the influenza B/Yamagata lineage virus has not been detected worldwide since 2020 and is not predicted to cause future epidemics.
There are currently seven licensed flu vaccines available for the 2025 to 2026 season. CSL Seqirus’ cell-based quadrivalent influenza vaccine, Sanofi’s Vaxigrip, and Viatris’ Influenza vaccine TIV MYL are given to those above six months of age.
AstraZeneca’s Fluenz Tetra, a live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV), is for those between two and 18 years of age.
For adults over 18 years of age, Sanofi’s Supemtek, a recombinant trivalent influenza vaccine, is used. CSL Seqirus’ other adjuvanted trivalent influenza vaccine is licensed for use for adults above 50 years of age. Sanofi’s Efluelda TIV-HD is available to those 60 years of age and over.
The NHS offers flu vaccines for everyone aged 65 and over, and for adults 18 to 64 years of age in certain risk groups.
The NHS is bracing itself for a busy winter. Regional teams are improving access to the vaccines through mobile vaccination buses, family community drop-in sessions, and, in an NHS first, delivering flu vaccines to two and three-year-olds in community pharmacies.
Meanwhile, eligibility for the Covid-19 vaccine changed for this autumn and winter following an update on recommendations by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The committee advises that the vaccines be offered to people aged 75 or over, residents in care homes, or anyone with a weakened immune system.
Dr Amanda Doyle, national director for Primary Care and Community Services at NHS England, said: “Vaccination is a crucial part of our efforts to protect the vulnerable and prepare for what we expect to be a very challenging winter, so I’m delighted to see this big increase in the numbers of people getting vaccinated at this stage.
“Vaccinations are our best defence against these potentially very dangerous viruses and can genuinely save lives.”
