Flu vaccine delays hit UK target

Pulse, a UK newspaper for general practitioners, has reported that the government's influenza vaccination program is "in chaos," with delays worse than in the 2004 campaign, which had been characterized by Pulse as "crisis-hit."

A representative survey of local surgeries by the Royal College of General Practitioners found that the proportion of over-65s receiving flu vaccine was 45%, compared with 54% in 2004 and 57% last year. For England and Wales, a larger study indicates that the uptake could be as low as 37%, a drop of one-third compared with last year's 54%. In Scotland, where 2004 saw major delays in obtaining vaccine supplies, less than a third of the target population has received the flu vaccine this year.

Jo Haynes, Pulse's editor, said: "the government hasn't helped by plowing ahead with its publicity campaign as though nothing was wrong, rather than helping GPs to prioritize vaccines for those most at need."