Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what planning his Department has undertaken to reduce flu transmissions in the community in winter 2021-22.
The Department has planned for over 35 million people to be offered a free flu vaccine during the upcoming winter season. We have also secured a central stock of flu vaccines in addition to local supplies.
We have expanded the children’s vaccination programme to include secondary school children up to year 11, to protect children and prevent onward transmission to vulnerable members of the community.
We have launched a marketing campaign encouraging eligible cohorts to book their flu vaccine. NHS England and NHS Improvement have recommissioned the national call and recall service to target groups of eligible individuals, informing them of their flu vaccination eligibility and remind them to make an appointment.