Influenza

Abstract

Influenza is the infectious disease with the highest population-based mortality. It mainly affects those aged 60years and older, mainly due to immune senescence, which also favors complicated courses and compromises vaccine effectiveness. Therefore, various approaches have been developed for more immunogenic vaccines, which are now available for use. The Ständige Impfkommission (STIKO) has taken this into account in its current recommendation on influenza vaccination and has recommended aquadrivalent, inactivated high-dose vaccine as the standard vaccine for all ≥ 60-year-olds. Despite these successes, vaccination for prevention remains underutilized. Germany has never reached the WHO vaccination target of 75% of the elderly population. The main reasons for this are a lack of confidence in the effectiveness of vaccination, a lack of/restricted risk perception of the disease, and barriers to implementation. Initial approaches to overcoming these barriers, such as low-threshold vaccination services by involving pharmacies, are being implemented. However, further steps are needed to realize the potential of influenza vaccination, especially for such vulnerable groups as older adults.