Influenza vaccine uptake in the elderly: Results from a rapid assessment of the effectiveness of new government policy in England for the winters 2000/2001 and 2001/2002

Immunisation against influenza is an important means of reducing morbidity and mortality amongst high-risk groups, and especially the elderly. Although immunisation has been recommended for these groups for many years, no timely or comprehensive monitoring at the national level was carried out in England before the beginning of this century. Annual numbers of doses administered were available, but not to whom they were given. This paper describes the results of a national rapid reporting scheme for England that was introduced by the Department of Health (DH) and PHLS Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre (CDSC). The scheme collected monthly data on influenza immunisation uptake among people aged 65 or more during the winters of 2000/2001 and 2001/2002. Results showed that DH annual targets of 60 and 65%, respectively were both met, although considerable variation occurred at the local levels. The feasibility of this method of monitoring immunisation uptake in the elderly is discussed.