The English seasonal flu immunization programme for poultry workers 2007: A challenging task

Background: English Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) immunized the poultry worker population with the seasonal influenza vaccine in the 2007 winter season. Methods: In Warwickshire, the provision of vaccinations progressed in two phases: four weekday evening clinics were offered initially, then one weekend clinic was offered, plus on-site vaccination at three farms and vaccination in general practice. Results: There were 253 registered premises in Warwickshire. Eighty-eight persons were vaccinated in five clinics; 131 persons were immunized on-site. Nobody attended their general practice for vaccination; the overall uptake rate was 32%, far exceeding the expected 20%. Conclusion: On-site vaccination during working hours was by far the most effective method of vaccinating this population; community clinics were not cost-effective, nor were general practices apparently accessed. The number of workers recorded in the contact list of registered poultry premises provided by DEFRA/DH has been shown to be unreliable; this has implications for the future implementation and evaluation of this programme. Immigrant workers within the poultry worker population make communication about the benefits of vaccination and access to primary care an issue, both factors which impact on uptake. Strategies for engaging smaller farms, immigrant and non-registered workers need to be developed.