Research and analysis

HPR volume 10 issue 18: news (26 May)

Updated 16 December 2016

1. UK seasonal influenza annual report 2015 to 2016 in summary

Moderate levels of influenza activity were seen in the community in the UK in 2015/16, with influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 the predominant circulating virus for the majority of the season. A(H1N1)pdm09–related activity peaked late, in week 11 of 2016, with influenza B peaking afterwards. The impact of A(H1N1)pdm09 was predominantly seen in young adults – the pattern of those affected being different in different parts of the UK. Peak admissions to hospital and ICU were higher than seen in the previous few seasons, but lower than the last notable A(H1N1)pdm09 season in 2010/11. Levels of excess all-cause mortality were significantly lower than last season, but some excess mortality was seen in younger adults.

These are among the conclusions of Public Health England’s annual report on influenza and other respiratory viruses in the UK during the winter of 2015/16 [1]. The annual report, which presents data on flu-related mortality and morbidity, and virological data, for the whole of the UK, is produced by PHE’s Respiratory Diseases Department in close collaboration with the health protection bodies and laboratories of the devolved administrations, and other national data providers.

Activity from other circulating seasonal respiratory viruses was similar to levels reported in recent years. Two novel respiratory viruses which emerged in 2012/13, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in the Middle East, and avian-origin influenza A(H7N9) in Eastern China, have continued to result in human cases in affected countries in 2015/16. Surveillance and public health measures established in the UK for travellers returning with severe respiratory disease from these regions are on-going while the risk remains.

1.1 Influenza vaccine uptake and effectiveness

A brief summary of influenza vaccine uptake in England and the devolved administrations is included in the annual report. Uptake in England was lower than last season in the elderly (71.0%), in healthcare workers (50.6%), in under-65 year-olds in a pre-defined clinical risk group (45.1%) and in pregnant women (42.3).

Separate reports, for England, on vaccine uptake among GP patients [2], among healthcare workers [3] and that achieved by the national childhood flu vaccination programme [4, and see below] have also been published.

1.2 References

1. PHE (26 May). Surveillance of influenza and other respiratory viruses in the United Kingdom: Winter 2015 to 2016.

2. PHE (26 May). Seasonal influenza vaccine uptake – GP patient groups 2015 to 16 report.

3. PHE (26 May). Seasonal influenza vaccine uptake – healthcare workers 2015 to 16 report.

4. PHE (26 May). National childhood influenza vaccination programme 2015 to 2016 report: seasonal influenza vaccine uptake for children of primary school age (final data for 1 September 2015 to 31 January 2016).

2. National childhood influenza vaccination programme annual report 2015 to 2016

A report on the vaccine uptake achieved by the universal childhood influenza vaccine programme in England, during the 2015/16 flu season, has been published by PHE [1]

The 2015/16 season was the first during which all healthy children of school-year-1 age and school-year-2 age in England were offered the recently-licensed, live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV), which has been progressively introduced via pilot schemes over the past two seasons. The intention is that the schools programme will eventually cover all children from two to 17 years of age

In 2015/16, the vaccine programme was offered mainly via schools, with alternative schemes – delivering the programme via community pharmacies and general practices – being used in a few areas.

The new report found that uptake levels of 54.4% for year 1, and 52.9% for year 2, were achieved across England, demonstrating the success of the first year national roll-out of the programme for school-age children. As in the previous season’s pilot for school-age children, uptake varied by mode of programme delivery: highest through school-based delivery and lowest in areas delivering the programme through a GP or pharmacy.

2.1 Reference

1. PHE (26 May). National childhood influenza vaccination programme 2015 to 2016 report: seasonal influenza vaccine uptake for children of primary school age (final data for 1 September 2015 to 31 January 2016).

3. Vaccine coverage and vaccine-preventable disease reports in this issue of HPR

The following three vaccine coverage reports and one vaccine preventable disease report are published in this issue of HPR. The links below are to the relevant webpage collections.

3.1 Vaccine coverage reports

• Pertussis Vaccination Programme for Pregnant Women update: vaccine coverage in England, January to March 2016
• Preliminary vaccine coverage estimates for the new meningococcal B (MenB) immunisation programme for England, update to the end of April 2016
• Vaccine coverage estimate for the first urgent catch-up meningococcal ACWY (MenACWY) immunisation programme for England, updated to the end of March 2016

3.2 Vaccine preventable infection report

• Laboratory confirmed cases of measles, mumps and rubella, England: January to March 2016)