Current status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 5 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how many people had received their flu vaccination by the end of November 2024, and how this compares with November (a) 2023 and (b) 2022, broken down by the categories of (i) over-65s, (ii) at risk 18- to 64-year-olds, (c) healthcare workers and (d) care home residents.
The following data has been provided by Public Health Scotland (PHS). It compares how many people had their vaccine by the end of November in winter 2024, 2023 and 2022, broken down by the following groups: the over-65s; the at risk 18 to 64 group; Healthcare workers and residents in care homes for older adults.
PHS data is compiled by ‘week ending’ dates, so the historic data is up to the following dates for each year: 27 November 2022, 26 November 2023 and 24 November 2024.
Group | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||||||
Eligible Population | Doses Administered | % uptake | Eligible Population | Doses Administered | % uptake | Eligible Population | Doses Administered | % uptake | |
65 and over | 1,139,147 | 944,171 | 82.9 | 1,166,636 | 806,501 | 69.1 | 1,190,559 | 706,646 | 59.4 |
18-64 at risk | 807,844 | 413,233 | 51.2 | 891,129 | 304,056 | 34.1 | 871,634 | 182,918 | 21.0 |
Healthcare workers | 177,810 | 90,516 | 50.9 | 179,700 | 67,593 | 37.6 | 184,016 | 48,463 | 26.3 |
Residents in care homes for older adults | 26,642 | 23,699 | 89.0 | 28,827 | 24,694 | 85.7 | 29,204 | 23,663 | 81.0 |
In 2022 and 2023, during the pandemic and pandemic recovery phases, the shape of the programme was different, with a much larger number of clinics. This meant programmes could be “front loaded” with more people vaccinated at the start and middle of the programme. As we have moved out of the pandemic and COVID has become a routine bi-annual programme, there is less need for large clinic numbers and Boards have started to pace the programme more evenly, as they did for flu pre-pandemic, meaning they continue to vaccinate right into mid-December.
As of 19 January, the uptake in these groups has increased as follows:
Group | 24-11-24 | 19-01-25 |
65 and over | 59.4 | 73.5 |
18-64 at risk | 21.0 | 34.1 |
Healthcare workers | 26.3 | 35.5 |
Residents in care homes for older adults | 81.0 | 84.4 |
By filtering by year and searching on the PHS surveillance website, changes in programme delivery shape can be illustrated in graphs, both weekly and cumulatively.