WHO set a target in 2003 that 75% of elderly people should be vaccinated against influenza each year. The most recent data (2018/2019), published this week on the European Health Information Gateway, reveals that only 1 country out of 28 reporting coverage in the WHO European Region achieved that target – Belarus. More than 60% coverage was achieved by only 4 countries – Ireland, Portugal, Russian Federation and the United Kingdom.
Most countries recommend vaccination of the elderly, but in half of the countries less than 35% of their older population were vaccinated in 2018/2019, the lowest coverage was less than 1%. Many countries also lack mechanisms to monitor vaccination coverage in target groups such as the elderly.
Work to be done
“There is clearly work to be done in this area,” said Dr Richard Pebody, Team Leader, High Threat Pathogens, WHO/Europe. “Every year there are up to 60 000 influenza-associated respiratory deaths in the European Region; vaccination can dramatically reduce those numbers. WHO/Europe is keen to work with all our Member States to reach this important and achievable target.”
The European Health Information Gateway also makes data available on influenza immunization for pregnant women, residents of long-term care facilities, children and people with chronic health conditions. People in these groups risk poor outcomes following influenza infection. The Gateway also covers immunization among health-care workers. Although immunization rates among health-care workers are high (over 80%) in Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Republic of Moldova and Russian Federation, many other countries, including high-income countries, vaccinated less than 50% of their health-care workers in recent years.
The European Health Information Gateway now offers data on influenza immunization across 11 influenza seasons, beginning in 2008.