PHCM9050 – Immunisation Policy and Practice

Running Head: THE INFLUENZA PROGRAM FOR INFANTS 1
THE INFLUENZA PROGRAM FOR INFANTS
Name
Institutional Affiliation

THE INFLUENZA PROGRAM FOR INFANTS 2
Introduction
The influenza program for infants is an immunization program that is run by the
government with the aim of preventing flu among children. The flu vaccine for
children is offered once every year in the form of nasal spray. The immunization
program mostly targets children between age 2 and five. The program also targets
older children with long-term health conditions. In some parts of the country, primary
school kids will be immunized against influenza. Children between the age of 6
months and two years who are at high risk from flu are offered the annual flu jab. The
program is mainly carried out in school where announcements are made, and parents
are advised on the dates the vaccine would be offered. The vaccine is given as a single
spray which is squirted on each nostril and hence its needle-free. The program for the
year 2018/2019 aims at achieving uptake of 78% and therefore ensure a reduction in
transmission of flu ( Shoenfeld & Agmon-Levin, 2015). The report identifies the
policies that support this program. The report also discusses the feasibility of the
program and the goals of the program. The strengths, limitations and the
implementation strategy of the program are also discussed. The report also discusses
the outcomes of the program and the impact of the program since it started.
The rationale for inclusion of the vaccine on NIP
The influenza vaccine was included in the National Immunization Program
because of the vulnerability of small children to getting flu. In the UK, more than 90
% of children between the age of two and fifteen are at risk of contracting flu if they
are not immunized with the influenza vaccine. Interest in prevention and control of
seasonal influenza has increased in the wake of the A (H1N1) pandemic (Compans &
Oldstone, M. B. A. 2014). The World Health Organization through its Global Action

THE INFLUENZA PROGRAM FOR INFANTS 3
Plan for Influenza vaccines has increased campaigns for the use of influenza vaccine
especially among children (World Health Organization, 2010). The influenza vaccine
for infants was added to the National Immunization Programme based on estimates of
the burden of disease by age both in groups with high risk clinical conditions and
those without Research indicates that for children below the age of 6 months, there
are 84.5 incidences out of 1000 and there are 11 deaths out of those. Of all the age
groups, this age group had the highest fatality rate per admissions with 0.4. For
children between the age of 6 months and four years, the fatality rate was 0.2 and
incidence of the disease was 33.6 for every 1000 children (World Health
Organization, 2010). This, therefore, justifies the need for inclusion of the influenza
vaccine in the National Immunization Programme. .Some of the factors that
contribute to high prevalence in the UK is the cold weather, especially during winter.
Infants also do not have a fully developed immune system, and therefore they need to
get the vaccine to avoid getting flu. In the year 2012, the Joint Committee on
Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recommended that the national immunization
program(NIP) be extended to cover healthy children and adolescents aged between 2-
17 years. This was done to reduce the high pediatric burden of influenza by reducing
the number of cases among children.
Program delivery
The influenza immunization program has been ongoing in the UK for a very long
period. However, in the year 2012, the JCVI recommended that influenza
immunization program is extended to include children between the age of 2-17 years
(Khot & Polmear, 2011). The extension of this program began in October 2013.
During this period the program targeted children between the age of 2 to 3 years in
primary care. The program also includes several pilot programs in schools in England,

THE INFLUENZA PROGRAM FOR INFANTS 4
Scotland, Wales and Northern England. The success of the program was pinned
around involving many other stakeholders. This would help in improving the supply,
storage, and distribution of the vaccine to ensure that it reaches the target group
through the United Kingdom. The influenza programme for children targets nine
million school children. The program is implemented in phases. The first phase of the
programme comprises vaccination of children between the age of 2 and three years in
GP settings. At the start of the programme in the year 2013, a board was formed to
coordinate the implementation of the programme in the four countries. Some of the
issues considered by the project board include vaccine supply, project management,
and surveillance of vaccine uptake, training, and protocols.
The following are the stakeholders involved in the implementation of the infant
Influenza Immunization program;
Local childhood immunization teams
Vaccine providers
National Departments of Health in each country
Directors of Children Services
Directors of Education Services
Local councils and education authorities
Community pharmacies
Health Immunization programs used qualified nurses as well as unqualified
health support workers. Staffing relied on the general practice structure with a team
comprising of a physician, nurse, and administrative clerk. The administrative clerk is