Notes from UKHSA seasonal influenza guidelines 2021-22

Please note this is a study note, keeping the exam in mind. This is not a guideline and should not be used for that purpose. It is not for clinical use either. You should contact your doctor for clinical advice.

Who are eligible for NHS influenza vaccination in 2021 – 2022

  • all children aged 2 to 15 (but not 16 years or older) on 31 August 2021

  • those aged 6 months to under 50 years in clinical risk groups

  • pregnant women

  • those aged 50 years and over

  • those in long-stay residential care homes

  • carers

  • close contacts of immunocompromised individuals

  • frontline health and social care staff employed by:
    1. a registered residential care or nursing home,
    2. registered domiciliary care provider,
    3. a voluntary managed hospice provider,
    4. Direct Payment (personal budgets) and/or Personal Health Budgets, such as Personal Assistants.

One page summary

Which vaccine?

For those aged 65 years and over

  • The adjuvanted quadrivalent influenza vaccine (aQIV), with

  • the cell-based quadrivalent influenza vaccine (QIVc) or

  • the recombinant quadrivalent influenza vaccine (QIVr) offered if aQIV is unavailable

For under-65s (including those at risk, pregnant women and 50 to 64-year-old cohort)

  • QIVc or QIVr, as an alternative

  • if these are not available, the egg-grown quadrivalent influenza vaccine (QIVe) should be considered for use

Children aged 2 years and over

  • The live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV),

  • QIVc, for children in at-risk groups who are contraindicated to receive LAIV. or, for children aged 2 and over whose parents object to LAIV on the ground of its porcine gelatine content.

Children in clinical risk groups aged 6 months to less than 2 years

  • QIVe.

Reference