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Influenza Vaccination in Children During the First Two Seasons of Routine Vaccination Programs (2023-24 and 2024-25)
Sílvia Burgaya-Subirana1,2,3, Mònica Balaguer2,4, Laia Sola Reguant3,5
1Pediatrics Department, EAP Manlleu, Institut Català de la Salut, Gerència d'Atenció Primària i a la Comunitat de la Catalunya Central, C/Castellot, 17, 08560 Manlleu, Spain.
Insights
Influenza vaccination coverage in children remains very low in Spain, with less than 20% receiving the flu vaccine. Factors like non-native status and urban living were linked to vaccination uptake.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Influenza vaccination is crucial for preventing seasonal flu.
- Spain introduced routine childhood influenza vaccination in the 2023-24 season.
- Assessing initial program impact and identifying vaccination barriers is essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- Evaluate influenza vaccination coverage and adherence in children during the first two years of a new program in Spain.
- Identify factors associated with influenza vaccination in children under 14 with risk factors.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective observational study analyzing data from Central Catalonia.
- Included all children eligible for influenza vaccination during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons.
- Total sample size of 39,937 children.
Main Results:
- Overall childhood influenza vaccination coverage was low: 18.1% (2023-24) and 19.3% (2024-25).
- Coverage in the 6-59 month age group was 19.1% and 28.9% for the respective seasons.
- Vaccination adherence was 17% across both seasons; non-native status, urban residence, and multiple risk factors were associated with vaccination.
Conclusions:
- Childhood influenza vaccination coverage and adherence are critically low, even after program implementation.
- Targeted strategies are needed to improve flu vaccine uptake in pediatric populations.
- Addressing identified barriers is key to enhancing public health protection against influenza.
Abstract:
Vaccination is the primary method of preventing influenza. During the 2023-24 season, the influenza vaccination for all children between 6 and 59 months was introduced for the first time in Spain. To assess the coverage and adherence of influenza vaccination in childhood during the first two seasons of a vaccination program, as well as to identify the factors associated with influenza vaccination in all children under 5 years of age and those from 5 to 14 years of age with risk factors. Retrospective observational study. All children eligible for the flu vaccine in Central Catalonia during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons were included. A total of 39,937 children were studied. Of these, 79.1% had not been vaccinated for influenza in either of the seasons studied. Influenza vaccination coverage in childhood was 18.1% and 19.3% in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons, respectively. In the 6- to 59-month age range, coverage was 19.1% and 28.9% in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons, respectively. The adherence to vaccination in both seasons was 17%. Some variables (being a non-native person, living in an urban area, having more than one risk factor, or certain underlying conditions) were associated with the influenza vaccination. Coverage and adherence to influenza vaccination in childhood are very low, despite the implementation of a routine influenza vaccination program.
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