Influenza: Vaccination

(asked on 5th October 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of supplies of flu vaccinations for those over the age of 50.


Answered by
Jo Churchill Portrait
Jo Churchill
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
This question was answered on 10th November 2020

We have sufficient vaccine for over 30 million people to be vaccinated in England this winter, this includes additional stock procured by the Department to increase uptake in existing groups and extend the programme to new cohorts including those aged 50 to 64 years.

General practitioners and pharmacists are directly responsible for ordering flu vaccine from suppliers which are used to deliver the national flu programme to adults, with deliveries phased through the season. Priority should be given to those who are most at risk to the effects of flu, including those aged over 65, and health and social care workers. The seasonal flu programme will be extended to those aged 50 to 64 years later in the season, following prioritisation of those in higher risk groups. There will be further communication on extending the programme later in the season.

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