Immunization campaigns in the UK

A mass immunization campaign is a rapid vaccination intervention across age groups as opposed to provision through routine vaccination at a specified age attainment. Some countries use campaigns routinely as they have experience that shows that in their health systems higher coverage can be reached through campaigns than by routine service provision. Whilst many industrialized and non-industrialized countries have introduced new vaccines into their routine programme, the UK is unusual in deliberately doing this via campaigns. A number of mass immunization campaigns have been implemented in the UK, either integrated into the routine immunization programme such as the annual influenza immunization campaign; as a catch-up campaign alongside the introduction of a new vaccine into the routine vaccination schedule (MMR, Haemophilus influenzae b, Meningococcal C conjugate vaccine); or as a one-off campaign, to boost immunity in a particular age group, without introducing the vaccination into the schedule routinely at that age (Haemophilus influenzae b). Campaigns require intense planning at national and local level with leadership to achieve proper management. Although the components of an immunization campaign can be described separately--strategic planning, vaccine supply, communication and surveillance; for a programme to be successful integrated planning is essential.