FLU vaccination prevented up to 120,000 hospital admissions in England during the 2024/25 season, despite concerning declines in uptake among some vulnerable groups, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) reports.
The UKHSA analysed national flu data for the 2024/25 winter season, marked by high influenza activity and pressure on NHS services. Using routine surveillance and vaccine effectiveness modelling, the agency estimated that the flu vaccine averted between 96,000 and 120,200 hospitalisations. The data come from UKHSA’s annual influenza report, which also examined vaccine uptake across age and risk groups, and highlighted areas of progress and concern.
Despite overall successes, uptake remained below pre-pandemic levels in several priority groups. Among 2 to 3-year-olds, coverage dropped to 41.7% and 43.5%, while primary school children saw only 54.5% uptake, well below the 2019–20 figure of 60.4%. Individuals with long-term conditions or who are immunosuppressed had just 40.0% uptake, compared with 44.9% pre-pandemic. In contrast, secondary school uptake reached a record 44.6%, and 74.9% of those aged ≥65 years were vaccinated, just shy of the World Health Organization (WHO) target of 75%. Vaccine effectiveness against hospitalisation ranged from 38% in adults ≥65 years to 75% in children aged 2–17 years. The season saw a cumulative hospital admission rate of 139.5 per 100,000 population and 7,757 excess deaths, both higher than the previous year but lower than the particularly severe 2022/23 season.
These findings emphasise both the impact and the missed potential of flu vaccination. Increasing uptake, particularly in young children, high-risk adults, and healthcare workers, will be critical to reducing strain on the NHS and preventing avoidable illness next season.
Reference
GOV.UK. Flu vaccine prevented around 100,000 hospital admissions. 2025. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/flu-vaccine-prevented-around-100000-hospital-admissions. Last accessed: 28 May 2025.
