Influenza vaccination recording system in Belgium

Abstract

Vaccination against influenza is one of the most effective measures to protect people from contracting illness during influenza epidemics and pandemics [1]. In Belgium, the Interministerial Influenza Coordination Committee defined three main objectives for the vaccination campaign against Influenza A(H1N1)2009 pandemic. The first objective was to maintain the functioning of the health care system. The staff in hospitals and health professionals was then considered as priority groups for vaccination. This could limit the transmission of the infection from professional health workers to patients. The second objective was to limit complications and mortality due to influenza. Chronic conditions possibly related to a higher rate of complications and mortality have been listed in the literature available at the time. Patients suffering from one of those affections, women in their second or third trimester of pregnancy and parents of children aged less than six months constituted the second group to be vaccinated. The third objective was to maintain the continuity of the educational system and avoid an amplifying effect in educational institutions. The school staff was therefore defined as the third group to be vaccinated [1,4]. Pandemrix (via a 10 doses phial packaging) was the only vaccine brand selected for the Bel-gian vaccination campaign. Pandemrix is an adjuvanted inactivated vaccine, containing antigens analogous to the A/California/7/2009(H1N1)v virus. The Influenza Scientific Committee recommended a single dose for persons aged 10 years or older, and two times half a dose for children aged 6 months to 9 years [1-3]. The vaccination campaign was entrusted to general practitioners and hospitals, and the distribution of the vaccine was organised through the pharmaceutical network. Simultaneously, a secure web-based tool was developed to allow practitioners to record data about patients they vaccinated. This recording system combined objectives of pharmacovigilance and evaluation of the vaccination campaign. Post-vaccine complications were recorded through a dedicated form used in the pharmacovigilance surveillance system managed by the Federal Agency for Medicines and Health Products (FAMHP). Patient data allowed the Scientific Institute of Public Health (WIV-ISP) to describe the geographical and age distribution of vaccinated persons. From 19 October until 6 November, the vaccine was available for hospital health workers only. From 7 November, the vaccine was proposed for free to other priority groups previously mentioned. The phasing of the vaccine distribution was also related to stock availability. This article describes the web-based recording system and gives some results of the data collected.