Expanding Flu Vaccine

The coronavirus pandemic brought a new intensity to the national dialogue around vaccines and public health. A significant number are still unwilling to get the COVID vaccine, while diminishing public trust in government and public health entities has worsened during the pandemic.

Despite the attention on COVID, other respiratory illnesses, like influenza, are still ongoing health risks. Even as slightly more adults overall got the flu vaccine last season, driven by an uptick among Americans over the age of 50, children and adults under 50 (18-49) were less likely to do so. Meanwhile, the vaccine gap widened between Black and Hispanic communities and white Americans. Preliminary CDC trend data for the 2021-2022 flu season appear to continue the decline in coverage among these groups (please see endnote for a list of flu vaccine manufacturers for the 2021-2022 season). The implications of these disparities for broader public health are clear: vulnerable populations and children are at greater risk of illness without the flu vaccine.

But there are solutions. New research shows that some of the unvaccinated are open to taking the flu vaccine in other ways. More specifically, through a nasal spray. Polling commissioned by AstraZeneca on Ipsos’ KnowledgePanel® found that broadening the availability of a nasal spray to those not already vaccinated could increase flu vaccine uptake by as much as five percent, equating to millions of children and adults under the age of 50 being more likely to get vaccinated.

Where people can get vaccinated also matters. As this research shows, the public is open to getting the vaccine at pharmacies, retail locations, their workplace, and, for children, at school. In other words, the work already happening at schools, businesses, and pharmacies is a vital component of maintaining—and expanding—current rates of flu vaccination.

To learn more, please download the full Ipsos POV.