Seasonal influenza

Seasonal influenza (flu) is an unpredictable but recurring pressure that the NHS faces every winter. Vaccination offers the best protection.

With the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important than ever that this year’s annual flu vaccination programme is safely and effectively delivered to as many of those eligible as possible in order to protect those at risk.

NATIONAL FLU LETTER AND OTHER GUIDANCE

• Annual flu programme: 2020 to 2021 flu season
• National flu immunisation programme for 2020 to 2021
• 2020/21 Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Campaign: Important information regarding the recording of vaccines administered by community pharmacists
• Flu vaccines for 2020 to 2021 poster
• DHSC guidance for general practice in England on accessing DHSC centrally supplied flu vaccines (Updated 20 November 2020 to include information on which additional vaccines are available, including Flublok®, in Appendix A and the expansion of the programme to all 50 to 64 year olds on 1 December 2020.)
• Directed Enhanced Service Specification Seasonal Influenza and Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccination programme 2020/21 
• Enhanced Service Specification Childhood seasonal influenza vaccination programme 2020/21
• National Seasonal Influenza Immunisation Programme 2020/21: primary care frequently asked questions

TRAINING

• e-Learning for Healthcare (e-LfH): an interactive e-learning package to support the training of all healthcare professionals involved in the delivering or advising on flu immunisation – https://www.e-lfh.org.uk/programmes/flu-immunisation
• PHE Flu immunisation training recommendations for 2020 to 2021
• Fluenz Tetra Training Webinar

IMPROVING UPTAKE

• NICE Quality Standard: Flu vaccination: increasing uptake
• Increasing uptake for vaccinations: Maximising the role of councils
• Toolkit to improve uptake of Seasonal Influenza Vaccination amongst learning disability patients and their carers
• Flu Vaccinations 2020/21: Best practice toolkit for GP practices: Improving uptake in eligible children and adults

INCIDENT GUIDELINES

• Vaccine incident guidance: responding to vaccine errors

INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL / PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

• Guidance on infection prevention and control for COVID-19

MASS VACCINATION GUIDANCE

• Delivering Mass Vaccinations During COVID-19: A Logistical Guide for General Practice
• Immunisation services and large-scale vaccination delivery during COVID-19
• Ten principles of holding safe flu vaccination clinics
• Risk Assessment and Checklist for the Delivery of Seasonal Influenza 2020/21: Via Indoor Walk-Through Model
• Risk Assessment and Checklist for the Delivery of Seasonal Influenza 2020/21: Via Drive-Through Model
• Considerations when identifying a suitable venue for mass vaccination sessions
• Vaccine Cold Chain Management

PATIENT GROUP DIRECTIONS

• Inactivated influenza vaccine Patient Group Direction (PGD)
• Live attenuated influenza vaccine nasal spray suspension (LAIV) Patient Group Direction (PGD)

CHILDREN’S FLU

• Share Good Times Not Flu – https://sharegoodtimesnotflu.co.uk
• Fluenz Tetra – https://www.fluenztetra.co.uk
• Which flu vaccines should children have poster – https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/which-flu-vaccine-should-children-have

GENERAL RESOURCES

• Vaccination newsletter for health professionals and immunisation practitioners – https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/vaccine-update
• Immunisation against infectious disease: The Green Book has the latest information on vaccines and vaccination procedures, for vaccine preventable infectious diseases in the UK – https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immunisation-against-infectious-disease-the-green-book