Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Surveillance in Northern Ireland Autumn/Winter 2025/26
Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Surveillance in Northern Ireland, 2025/26
Public Health Agency
28 October 2025
Data were correct at 26 October 2025.
1 Summary
- A total of 271,767 influenza vaccinations have been administered since the beginning of the 2025/26 programme (to 26 October 2025).
- Seasonal influenza vaccination uptake was highest in individuals aged 65 years and older (45.6%).
2 Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Programme 2025/26
The Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Programme 2025/26 officially commenced in Northern Ireland on 06 October 2025. Younger eligible individuals were offered vaccination from September 2025. The vaccination programme is delivered by a number of providers including GP, community pharmacy, Health and Social Care Trusts and Trust school nursing teams. The total number of vaccinations administered to 26 October 2025 was 271,767. Influenza vaccine uptake in eligible adults in 2025/26 to date was highest in individuals aged 65 years and over (45.6%). Uptake of influenza vaccine uptake in eligible children was highest in primary school children at (21.1%) (Figure 2.1).
Figure 2.1: Cumulative seasonal influenza vaccination uptake by eligible group in Northern Ireland, 2025/26 programme.
3 Eligibility for vaccinations
The Green Book is published by UK Health Security Agency and provides information for public health professionals on immunisation, including seasonal influenza vaccination (The Green Book | Immunisation againist infectious disease). Considering this advice and that of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), the Chief Medical Officer in Northern Ireland issues a letter for the seasonal influenza programme outlining who is eligible for vaccination under the current programme. For more information on the vaccination programmes in Northern Ireland, including eligibility for vaccination, please visit Health NI | Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Programme 2025/2026.
The Green Book advises that influenza immunisation should be provided to healthcare and social care workers in direct contact with patients/clients, i.e. frontline health and social care workers (Green Book | Chapter 19: Influenza). In Northern Ireland, the offer of seasonal influenza vaccination in 2025/26 is to all health and social care workers including those without direct patient contact.
4 Methods
Data is presented to the end of the last reporting week, Sunday 26 October 2025.
All vaccinations are recorded on the Northern Ireland Vaccine Management System (VMS). Vaccinations administered as part of the schools influenza vaccination programme are recorded on the Northern Ireland Child Health System (CHS) which feeds into VMS.
Data is provisional and accurate at the time of extraction. Data lags exist between data of administration of the vaccine and date of recording on VMS or CHS.
Eligible groups are not mutually exclusive and individuals may be counted in more than one group. Individuals may have more than one eligibility criteria for vaccination, however most will only have one reason for vaccination recorded on VMS. This will impact estimates of vaccine uptake.
4.1 Definitions and data sources
Vaccine uptake (%) is defined as the number of vaccinations administered (numerator) divided by the eligible population (denominator). Vaccine uptake is included in this report for those eligible groups in which a denominator is available.
Seasonal influenza vaccination is defined as any vaccination recorded on the Northern Ireland Vaccine Management System (VMS) administered from 01 September 2025 to 31 March 2026.
4.1.1 Adult vaccinations by age group
Age for adult vaccinations is based on age at the end of the programme, 31 March 2026. The age group based population is based on the NISRA mid-year estimate (2021).
4.1.2 At risk individuals
Individuals ‘at risk’ are determined using the reason for vaccination ‘at risk’ or ‘immunosuppressed’, as populated on the VMS. The population ‘at risk’ is determined using data from the national General Practice Improvement Programme (GPIP) extracted at the beginning of the Autumn 2024 campaign (this will be updated in later reports). Vaccine uptake for the adult ‘immunosuppressed’ population is estimated in this report.
4.1.3 Pre-school children
Pre-school children are those aged two to four years on 01 September 2025, i.e. those born between 02/07/2021 and 01/09/2023. This population is determined using data from CHS extracted at the beginning of the programme.
4.1.4 School-aged children
Primary school children are those in primary years 1 to 7 during the programme, i.e. those born between 02/07/2014 and 01/07/2021. Post primary school children are those in years 8 to 12 during the programme, i.e. those born between 02/07/2009 and 01/07/2014. The population of primary and post primary school children is determined using data extracted from CHS at the beginning of the programme.
4.1.5 Care home
Care home residents are those recorded as a care home resident with a valid RQIA care home registration number on VMS. The care home resident population is based on the beds occupied reported in the Northern Ireland RQIA Census of Bed Availability in Registered Care Homes in Northern Ireland (December 2023).
5 Supplementary tables
Table 1: Number of influenza vaccinations and cumulative vaccination uptake by eligible group in Northern Ireland, 2025/26 programme.
Eligible group | Number vaccinated | Population | Vaccine uptake (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
65 years and over | 150,207 | 329,235 | 45.6 |
18-64 years 'at risk' | 46,160 | 255,675 | 18.1 |
Care Home residents | 5,837 | 13,490 | 43.3 |
All Trust employed HSCWs | 9,752 | 71,050 | 13.7 |
Preschool children | 8,178 | 45,084 | 18.1 |
Primary School children | 37,162 | 176,471 | 21.1 |
Post Primary School children | 14,542 | 127,106 | 11.4 |