A Department of Health and Social Care press release dated 22 October 2026 reported that more than 10 million flu vaccinations had been delivered in England since bookings opened in August and vaccinations began in September, including 2.7 million that week. It said the government had launched a social media campaign across Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and, for the first time, TikTok, and was promoting a new NHS App feature to help people check eligibility and book a flu vaccination at a community pharmacy.

The release said the manage vaccinations in schools programme had been accelerated to cover 14,000 schools that year, and that a first catch-up programme from community pharmacies for schoolchildren who missed earlier vaccinations would launch later that year. It also cited UKHSA estimates that flu vaccination prevented around 100,000 hospitalisations and 7,000 deaths in England in the previous year, and a cold mortality monitoring report, also out that day, showing 2,200 deaths associated with cold weather.

According to the release, eligibility included young children, older adults, pregnant women and people with certain long-term conditions. It listed planned steps, including school teams visiting every school by the end of November with second visits completed by 11 December, and school-age pharmacy catch-up starting on 1 December.