New Zealand’s decision to no longer offer free influenza vaccines for all children under 12 will likely wipe out recent gains in uptake. And it will disproportionately affect those living in deprived areas and with a high risk of disease. Influenza accounts for more than half of all potentially vaccine-preventable hospitalisations of children under 14 in New Zealand.
But those living in poorer areas are three times more likely to be hospitalised due to a lung infection. Health New Zealand recommends annual vaccination for all children from the age of six months. During the 2022 winter season, New Zealand’s medicines funding agency Pharmac made flu vaccines free for all children aged three to 12.
In 2023, this was extended to start at six months of age. But in 2024, the funding was cut back to the previous criteria. This means only children with a history of significant respiratory illness, certain long-term medical conditions, or those hospitalised for any respiratory illness when aged under four are eligible for free vaccines.
We compared how many New Zealand children received the flu vaccine before (2018-21) and during (2022-23) universal funding and found substantially higher uptake when vaccines were free. A step backwards In 2018, before the Covid pandemic and free influenza vaccines for all children, only 4.4 per cent of those under five received the vaccine.
The uptake was lower in tamariki Māori (1.9 per cent) and Pacific children (3.1 per cent).
Flu vaccine upt.