Review of the experiences from the first childhood influenza vaccination programme with a live attenuated influenza vaccine in England and Scotland

Abstract

In 2012, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation recommended that the National Immunisation Programme for influenza be extended to include healthy children/adolescents aged 2-17 years. In the UK, extension of this new immunisation programme began in 2013-2014 and targeted children aged 2 years and 3 years in primary care. Several implementation pilots were undertaken in primary schools across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as a single pilot in a secondary school in England. This article shares lessons learnt from experiences in England and Scotland to provide guidance for other countries considering the addition of childhood influenza vaccination into their national immunisation programmes. Recommendations are provided to help ensure effective preparation and management of new childhood influenza vaccination programmes in other countries. This article describes the processes utilised in England and Scotland for programme setup, workforce management, identification and care of contraindicated patients, collection of data on vaccine uptake, communication strategies, and education of parents and children.

Keywords: England; Scotland; children; influenza; pilot project; schools; vaccination; vaccine.

Figure 1.

Algorithm for influenza vaccination for winter 2014–2015 from Influenza: the Green Book [1]. ^aFollow additional guidance from UK health departments; ^ball children aged 2, 3, or 4 years (but not ≥5 years) on or before 1 September 2014*; ^call those aged ≥65 years, including all those aged 65 years on or before 1 March 2015; ^dif quadrivalent inactivated vaccine is available, consider for children aged ≥3 years only. If quadrivalent is not available, offer a suitable trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine. See Table 19.6 in Influenza: the Green Book [1], which lists the vaccines that can be used in young children: some are not suitable for young children; ^ecannot receive if: aged <2 years; aged ≥18 years; have egg allergy; have a history of active wheezing at the time of vaccination (until ≥7 days after wheezing has stopped); taking oral corticosteroids or high-dose inhaled corticosteroids for asthma; have certain immunodeficiencies; pregnant. This chart should be read in conjunction with the contraindications and precautions sections as well as Table 19.6 in Influenza: the Green Book [1], which gives details about the age indications for influenza vaccines. *Note: In addition to these age groups, the administrations of constituent countries will also offer influenza vaccination to children aged 5 years (Scotland), all primary school children (Scotland and Northern Ireland) and children in year 7 (Wales).