Flu vaccine prevented over 800 Welsh hospital admissions, PHW estimates
Archive article. Published on Thu 1 Oct, 09:08. Conditions may have changed since this reporting.
Flu vaccination is estimated to have prevented more than 800 flu-related hospital admissions in Wales last winter, Public Health Wales says. In a release on 1 October, the agency estimated that admissions would have been 50% higher without vaccination. That does not mean half of all admissions were prevented. The release does not provide a detailed calculation or uncertainty range.
Who is eligible this winter?
The free NHS offer includes people aged 65 or over, pregnant women and people aged six months to 64 with qualifying long-term health conditions. Carers, care-home residents and frontline health and social-care workers are among the other eligible groups. Children aged two or three on 31 August 2026 and pupils from reception to Year 11 are also included. The full criteria are on the Public Health Wales eligibility page linked below.
Where to get the vaccine
Public Health Wales advises people who think they have missed a flu invitation to contact their GP or local pharmacy. School-age children are normally offered vaccination through the school programme. If a child’s invitation appears to have been missed, PHW advises contacting the school nurse for school-age children or the GP surgery for children not yet in school.
Last year’s uptake
More than one million people in Wales received a flu vaccine last year, according to PHW, including over 200,000 people with health conditions and more than 10,000 pregnant women. Those are uptake totals. The separate estimate of admissions prevented describes the programme’s expected effect on hospital care.
Booking help in Gwent
Aneurin Bevan University Health Board says residents who need vaccination booking help can call 0300 303 1373, Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm, or email abb.vsbc@wales.nhs.uk. The board is also inviting eligible people for COVID-19 vaccination. Eligibility differs between vaccines, so check your invitation or ask the booking service which offer applies to you.