Older people urged to get flu jabs after 4,000 winter deaths

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 16 Oct, 00:20 · Archive

Nearly 4,000 people died from flu in England last winter, prompting health officials to urge older people to get vaccinated.

Nearly 4,000 people died from flu in England during the last winter, with 3,442 of those deaths among people aged 65 and over. A further 13,048 people were hospitalised during the season, with admissions peaking towards the end of the year. The majority of cases were caused by an unknown subtype of influenza A.

The UK Health Security Agency's annual report found that the vaccination programme significantly reduced the impact of the outbreak. The scheme prevented an estimated 104,000 hospital admissions and over 7,100 deaths. Vaccine effectiveness in adults was between 21 and 34 per cent, lower than the previous winter, whilst in children it was between 51 and 68 per cent. The RSV vaccine was around 82 per cent effective at preventing hospital admissions among people aged 75 to 79.

Charity Age UK has joined health officials in urging older people to get their flu jab and other eligible vaccinations. Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said that nearly 4,000 deaths linked to flu in a single winter demonstrates that seasonal viruses should not be dismissed as just a bad cold, particularly in later life. She noted that vaccination prevented thousands of hospital admissions and helped reduce pressure on NHS services.

How it is being reported

• Older people urged to get flu jab after data reveals nearly 4,000 deaths from horror winterNew data from the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) has revealed multiple thousands of additional deaths were caused by the most common strain of the flu during the last seasonThe Mirror · 16 Oct, 00:07
• Older people urged to get their flu jabs after 4,000 deaths recorded last winterRSV is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms, but can be fatal in older peopleEvening Standard · 16 Oct, 00:02
• Older Brits warned ‘not to be complacent’ and get flu jab after thousands of deaths last winterFigures from the UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA) annual report suggest excess deaths from flu were 3,798 last winterThe Independent · 16 Oct, 00:01

In this story: UK Health Security Agency · Age UK · England · Caroline Abrahams

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