From the start of October, people sleeping rough or staying in homeless hostels and night shelters in England can get a free flu vaccine for the first time. But will the jab reach those who need it?
The case for eligibility is not in doubt. The UK’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) based its recommendation on evidence that homeless people face a similar risk of hospitalisation and death from flu as people aged 65 and over. Many also live in shared dormitories, day centres and crowded hostels, where respiratory viruses are likely to spread easily.
