Qurexa Logo
Qurexa

Trust. Care. Deliver.

Back to Blog & Insights
Health

Fewer over-65s have had their flu jab this year than last. Here are the numbers

Qurexa Editorial Team30 October 20267 min read 0 0
Fewer over-65s have had their flu jab this year than last. Here are the numbers

What happened

On 29 October 2026, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) published its weekly national flu and COVID-19 surveillance report. It covers data up to 25 October 2026. Most of the report is reassuring. Flu is circulating at low levels and is largely stable. The hospital admission rate for flu in England was 2.47 per 100,000 people, up only slightly from 2.38 the week before. That sits in what UKHSA calls the low impact range. COVID-19 activity actually went down, and is also at low levels. Its hospital admission rate was 2.76 per 100,000, broadly stable. Two things in the report are moving, though. The first is RSV. RSV stands for respiratory syncytial virus. It is a common winter bug that is usually mild in healthy adults but can be serious in babies and in older people. Its hospital admission rate rose from 0.31 to 0.52 per 100,000. In children under five, it rose to 6.56 per 100,000. The second is vaccination. Flu vaccine uptake is running behind last season. Among people aged 65 and over, 53.6% had been vaccinated at this point, compared with 56.9% at the same week last season. Among under-65s in a clinical risk group, uptake was 24.8%, down from 26.2%. There was one figure going the other way. Uptake among pregnant women rose to 29.1%, from 27.8%. For the autumn 2026 COVID-19 campaign, 42.5% of people aged 75 and over had been vaccinated, along with 18.2% of under-75s with a weakened immune system.

Why this matters

A three-point drop in uptake does not sound dramatic. Spread across the over-65 population of England, it is a lot of people. The reason this matters now rather than in January is timing. A flu vaccine takes roughly two weeks to give you full protection. Flu season usually builds through December and peaks in late December or January. A jab in late October or November is working in time. A jab in January is often racing the virus. The RSV rise is worth watching for a different reason. RSV tends to arrive before flu does. In very young children it is the most common reason for being admitted to hospital with a chest infection. In older adults it is frequently mistaken for a bad cold, and can tip over into pneumonia in people who already have heart or lung problems. There is also a simple fairness point in these numbers. The people offered these vaccines free are offered them because the NHS has assessed that they are at higher risk. Falling uptake in exactly that group is the part worth paying attention to.

What the evidence actually says

It is important not to over-read a single week of data. UKHSA's own report flags two caveats. Flu vaccine data for week 42 was incomplete and is being corrected. And vaccinations given in pharmacies are currently recorded in a non-specific way, which means the split between where people got their jab may be inaccurate, even though the overall uptake estimate is considered reliable. So the right reading is a trend, not a precise number. Uptake among over-65s and clinical risk groups is behind last year, and last year was itself below the years before it. It is also fair to say this is not a crisis week. Flu and COVID-19 are both at low levels. One indicator did rise: flu admissions to intensive care and high dependency units went from 0.08 to 0.12 per 100,000, which is a small number moving slightly. The RSV increase is real but it comes from a low base, and UKHSA describes RSV activity as still at baseline levels. A rise from 0.31 to 0.52 per 100,000 is the start of the usual seasonal curve, not an emergency. In short: nothing alarming is happening yet, and that is precisely the window in which a vaccine is most useful.

Qurexa perspective

We deliver prescriptions, so we see something that does not show up in surveillance data: the people who find leaving the house hardest are often the people the vaccine programme most wants to reach. If you are 78, live alone, and the bus to the pharmacy involves a hill and a wait in the cold, a free vaccine is still free. It is just not easy. That gap between 'available' and 'reachable' is where a lot of missed vaccinations live. So two honest points. First, we cannot vaccinate you. Delivery of medicines is not the same thing as a jab, and we would not pretend otherwise. If you need a vaccine, it has to come from a pharmacy, a GP surgery or a visiting service. Second, do ask whether someone can come to you. Many GP practices arrange home visits for housebound patients, and some community pharmacies do too. It is not automatic. You usually have to ring and ask. People often assume it is not available and never find out that it is. If we are already delivering your repeat prescription and you are housebound, that is a good prompt to make that call.

Practical advice

If you are 65 or over, pregnant, or have a long-term condition such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease or a weakened immune system, you are eligible for a free flu vaccine. Book it now rather than later. Two weeks to full protection means late October and November are the useful window. If you are 75 or over, or have a weakened immune system, check whether you are also eligible for this autumn's COVID-19 vaccine. They can often be given at the same appointment. If you are housebound, ring your GP surgery and ask directly about a home visit for vaccination. Ask your community pharmacy too. Do not assume the answer is no. If you care for someone who is vulnerable, check whether you are eligible yourself. Carers are often included. For RSV specifically, there is an NHS vaccination programme for older adults in a defined age range and for pregnant women, which protects newborn babies. Ask your GP surgery whether you fall into it. If you develop a cough, fever or breathlessness, stay away from anyone frail where you can. Seek medical help urgently if breathing becomes difficult, if you are confused, or if a baby is feeding poorly or struggling to breathe.

What to know

UKHSA's surveillance report for data up to 25 October 2026 shows flu and COVID-19 both circulating at low levels in England. Flu hospital admissions were 2.47 per 100,000 and COVID-19 admissions 2.76 per 100,000, both broadly stable. RSV is rising, from 0.31 to 0.52 admissions per 100,000 overall, and 6.56 per 100,000 in under-fives. UKHSA still describes this as baseline activity. The figure worth acting on is vaccine uptake. Among over-65s it stands at 53.6%, down from 56.9% at the same point last season. Among under-65s in clinical risk groups it is 24.8%, down from 26.2%. Uptake in pregnant women rose slightly, to 29.1%. Nothing in this week's data is alarming. That is the point. The vaccine works best when you have it before the season builds, and that window is open now. If getting out is the obstacle, ring your GP surgery and ask about a home visit. It is a question a lot of eligible people never ask. Sources: UKHSA / GOV.UK, 'National flu and COVID-19 surveillance report: 29 October 2026 (week 44)', 29 October 2026, https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-flu-and-covid-19-surveillance-reports-2026-to-2027-season/national-flu-and-covid-19-surveillance-report-29-october-2026-week-44 ; UKHSA / GOV.UK, 'National flu and COVID-19 surveillance report: 22 October 2026 (week 43)', 22 October 2026, https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-flu-and-covid-19-surveillance-reports-2026-to-2027-season/national-flu-and-covid-19-surveillance-report-22-october-2026-week-43 ; GOV.UK, 'Weekly national flu reports' collection, https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/weekly-national-flu-reports This article is for general information and does not replace advice from a doctor, pharmacist or other qualified healthcare professional.

#flu vaccine#RSV#UKHSA#winter health#COVID-19#pharmacy

Related articles