Slight increase in flu vaccinations last year

The number of people who responded to the invitation to get a flu shot increased slightly last year to 54 percent, compared to 53 percent in 2019, according to research by Nivel for public health institute RIVM.

Every year, the RIVM invites people over the age of 60 and people with certain medical conditions to be vaccinated against influenza, as they are at greater risk of becoming seriously ill from the flu. Last year, the RIVM expanded the target group for the flu shot to include people using immunosuppressive drugs. The turnout among these newly invited people was slightly lower than average. Without this new group, the turnout rose from 53 percent in 2019 to 57 percent last year.

The turnout for the flu shot was at its lowest point ever in 2017, when only half of the invitees showed up to be vaccinated. Turnout for the flu shot increased slightly in the following years. Nivel partly attributed last year's increase to people seeing more need for the flu shot amid the Covid-19 pandemic.