WHO announces composition of flu vaccines for 2006-2007
6 March 2006
The World Health Organization has recently issued its recommendations for the composition of influenza virus vaccines for use in the 2006-2007 northern hemisphere influenza season (winter).
The World Health Organization has recently issued its recommendations for the composition of influenza virus vaccines for use in the 2006-2007 northern hemisphere influenza season (winter).
Based on these recommendations, manufacturers begin producing influenza vaccines ready for the winter season. The production schedule operates within a strict timeframe with manufacturing and testing taking place over the summer months ready for vaccination to commence from October. Please refer to UVIG’s factsheet on influenza vaccine production for additional information: http://www.uvig.org/pdf/Influenzaproduction.pdf.
Influenza can sometimes be underestimated and is in fact a highly infectious acute viral infection. Amongst at-risk groups, for example the elderly, influenza can cause serious complications and during the flu season hospitals experience an additional 9,000 admissions of people aged 65 years and over. On average, an additional 12,500 people die each year during the flu season .
Vaccination against influenza is recommended for those in at-risk groups, which include the elderly aged 65 years and over and those suffering from a chronic medical condition .
The Joint Committee on Vaccines and Immunisation meets regularly to discuss the widening of groups that receive routine influenza vaccination and most recently has discussed providing the vaccine to children aged under 2 years. In addition to increasing the level of protection amongst the population, extending the routine immunisation recommendations would also serve to increase manufacturing capacity.
Current manufacturing capacity is insufficient to ensure adequate supplies of vaccine for the population should a pandemic occur. An increase in manufacturing capacity facilitated by extending the influenza immunisation schedule would increase the number of vaccines that could be produced in the event of a pandemic.
Notes to Editors
Current UK Flu Vaccination Policy
According to the influenza immunisation program 2005/2006, influenza vaccination should be offered to:
1. All those aged 65 and over
2. All those aged over 6 months in the following clinical ‘at-risk’ groups:
o Chronic respiratory disease, including asthma
o Chronic heart disease
o Chronic renal disease
o Chronic liver disease
o Diabetes
o Immunosuppression due to disease or treatment
3. Those living in long-stay residential and nursing homes or other long-stay facilities
4. Those who are the main carer for an elderly or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if the carer falls ill. Vaccination should be given at the GP’s discretion.
5. Healthcare workers in the NHS are being encouraged to take up vaccination, especially those employees directly involved in patient care.
Note: Target groups are generally consistent throughout the UK, however, there is some variation in implementing strategies across the four nations.
6. The recommended composition of influenza virus vaccines as stipulated by WHO includes:
• an A/New Caledonia/20/99(H1N1)-like virus
• an A/Wisconsin/67/2005 (H3N2)-like virusa
• a B/Malaysia/2506/2004-like virusb
Candidate vaccine viruses include:
• a A/Wisconsin/67/2005 (H3N2) and A/Hiroshima/52/2005
• b B/Malaysia/2506/2004 virus and B/Ohio/1/2005
1. NHS Immunisation Information website: http://www.immunisation.nhs.uk/article.php?id=431
2. Health Protection Agency website: http://www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/influenza/seasonal/flufaq.htm#vacc
3. Department of Health, 25 July 2005, The influenza immunisation programme 2005/2006. Accessed at: http://www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/11/65/17/04116517.pdf on 19 September 2005