Upward trend of Dutch citizens vaccinated against influenza continued in 2022

After years of a decline in the influenza vaccination coverage, there has been an upward trend since 2018. The rise continued in 2022, when almost 57% of the persons invited for flu vaccination were vaccinated. Though being lower than in 2021, when more than 58% were vaccinated, this number is higher than in 2017 to 2020, when the coverage increased from 50% to 54%. Among the individuals invited for pneumococcal vaccination, 63% were vaccinated. These are the results of the annual Nivel monitors ‘Vaccination Coverage Dutch National Influenza Prevention Program’ and ‘Vaccine Coverage Dutch National Pneumococcal Vaccination Program for Adults’. The annual monitoring is commissioned by the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM).

Flu vaccination coverage 56.8% in 2022

The target group of the Dutch National Influenza Prevention Program consists of individuals at increased risk of complications from flu (influenza), i.e. people aged 60 or older and people with certain medical conditions. In autumn, they receive a vaccination invitation from their general practitioner. In 2008, 72% of the target group was vaccinated. This dropped in the following years to 50% in 2017. Since then, flu vaccination coverage starts to rise again. Open the English publication of the monitor NPG 2022 for more information.

Influenza vaccination coverage among the target group for flu vaccination, the Netherlands 2008-2022.

Pneumococcal vaccination coverage 63.0% in 2022

In 2022, the third year of the Dutch National Pneumococcal Vaccination Program for Adults, persons born in 1953 to 1956 (aged 66 to 69) were invited for vaccination by their general practitioner. Of this group 63.0% were vaccinated. Even though this is less than in 2020 and 2021, when respectively 73.0% and 74.1% were vaccinated, it is essential to realize that the percentages cannot simply be compared to each other. In 2022, a younger age group (66 to 69 years) was invited than in 2021 (69 to 73 years) and 2020 (73 to 79 years). It is possible that the pneumococcal vaccination rate increases with age, as is the case with the flu vaccination rates. Open the English publication of the monitor NPPV 2022 for more information.

Monitoring influenza and pneumococcal vaccination coverage

We make use of data from general practitioners participating in the Nivel Primary Care Database to monitor the vaccine coverage of the Dutch National Influenza Prevention Program (NPG) and the Dutch National Pneumococcal vaccination Program Adults (NPPV). The two monitors are featured by Nivel and commissioned by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM).