Flu vaccine: people over 65 years of age to be offered booster jab for the 2018-19 season

NHS England and Public Health England outline newly licenced ‘adjuvanted trivalent’ vaccine to improve the effectiveness of the influenza vaccination in the older age group

Older people should be given a new flu vaccine next year to improve protection, health officials have said.

NHS England and Public Health England (PHE) have written to GPs and pharmacists to help guide their influenza vaccine orders for the 2018-19 season.

People over 65 years of age will be offered the newly licensed ‘adjuvanted trivalent’ vaccine – which is designed to boost an immune response improving the effectiveness of the vaccine in the older age group.

It was not available for the 2017-18 season, NHS England said.

Most at risk

Those aged 18-64 and at risk should get the quadrivalent vaccine – which provides protection against two strains of influenza A and two strains of influenza B, NHS England and PHE have said.

Eligible children will continue to receive the nasal spray quadrivalent vaccine.

Figures from last week show flu levels ‘remain high’, but have been stabilising.

It is estimated flu causes around 8,000 deaths each year.

‘Greater protection than ever before’

PHE health protection and medical director Paul Cosford said: ‘Vaccination is one of the best public health interventions we have available to us, saving thousands of lives every year.

‘We already have one of the best flu vaccination programmes in the world. Making these vaccines available next season should offer greater protection than ever before.

‘We urge everyone eligible to take up the offer of flu vaccination.’

NHS England said suppliers have confirmed that there will be enough adjuvanted trivalent vaccine and quadrivalent influenza vaccine to meet demand.

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