News

PHE’s national seasonal flu campaign

PHE’s national seasonal flu campaign launches this week, encouraging uptake of the flu vaccine amongst the most at-risk groups. The campaign is particularly aimed at adults (under 65) and parents of children (4-17) with long term health conditions and pregnant women.

For the first time we are also targeting parents of 2-3 year olds encouraging them to get their child vaccinated with the nasal spray vaccine. This marks the first step in an extension to the national flu vaccination programme, which will eventually include yearly vaccination of all 2-16 year olds.

A joint letter from the Department of Health, NHS England, and Public Health England was also sent to NHS and local authorities, urging staff to get vaccinated against flu this winter. Earlier this month, the Secretary of State for Health announced that any NHS trust eligible for a share of £250 million A&E funding for next year will need to ensure that at least 75% of its own staff have been vaccinated against flu this year.

Almost 800 people were admitted to intensive care with complications from flu last year and each winter hundreds of thousands of people see their GP and tens of thousands are hospitalised because of flu.

A national advertising campaign is also being launched including:

• National press adverts aimed at adults with long-term conditions
• Pharmacy bags aimed at adults with long term conditions
• Magazine adverts for mums of children aged 2-3 and pregnant women
• Radio adverts aimed at parents of children aged 2-3
• Digital adverts aimed at parents of children with long term health conditions, parents of children aged 2-3 and pregnant women.
• Search marketing aimed at all of our at risk groups