Influenza (Flu)
Flu occurs every year, usually in the winter, which is why it’s sometimes called seasonal flu. It’s a highly infectious disease with symptoms that come on very quickly.
Flu can affect anyone, but some people are more susceptible to the effects of flu. For them, it can increase the risk of developing more serious illnesses such as bronchitis and pneumonia, or can make existing conditions worse. In the worst cases, flu can result in a stay in hospital, or even death. The flu vaccination helps to prevent these risk to health.
Flu vaccination programme 2024 – 25
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has announced the cohorts eligible for the National flu immunisation programme 2024 to 2025 as:
- those aged 65 years or over
- those aged 6 months to under 65 years in clinical risk groups (as defined in the Green Book Chapter 11)
- children aged 2 – 3 years on 31 August 2024
- primary school aged children (Reception to Year 6)
- secondary school aged children in years 7 - 11
- all children in clinical risk groups aged from 6 months to less than 18 years
- those aged 18 years to under 65 years in clinical risk groups (as defined by the Green Book, Influenza Chapter 19)
- those living in a residential or nursing home
- the main carer of an older or disabled person
- close contacts of immunocompromised individuals
- a frontline health or social care worker
- pregnant women
The programme’s leaflets and guidance documents will be updated as information becomes available.
View the sections below with information for the public and information for professionals.
For the public
Guidance
Guidance: The flu vaccination: who should have it and why? - 2024 leaflet coming soon
7 November 2023
School Programmes
Guidance for parents and carers
Protect your child against flu – information for parents and carers of children in primary school or pre-school - 2024 leaflet coming soon
4 July 2023
School Years 7-11 years
Protect yourself against flu – information for those in secondary school - 2024 leaflet coming soon
4 July 2023
Translations into other Languages
Translated copies of some of the above leaflets are available in these languages English, English large print, Albanian, Arabic, Bengali, Brazilian Portuguese, Bulgarian, Chinese, Estonian, Farsi, Greek, Gujarati, Hindi, Latvian, Lithuanian, Panjabi, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Turkish, Twi, Ukrainian and Urdu.
Disclaimer: The contents of these translated documents may differ slightly from local literature produced to support the Isle of Man COVID-19 Vaccination Programme.
Flu vaccination for children: leaflets and posters (gov.uk)
British Sign Language Video Resources
Flu vaccination for children: leaflets and posters (gov.uk)
For professionals
Green book chapters
Green Book Chapter 19: Influenza - Immunisation against infectious disease (gov.uk)
September 2022
Contraindications and Special Considerations - Chapter 6 (gov.uk)
26 October 2017
