It was somewhat higher when vaccines matched the circulating strain. This means that for every nine people given influenza vaccine, one avoided having influenza who would have had it if they had not been vaccinated. Many could be attributed to influenza-like illnesses. Comment Bandolier will be more forceful with older relatives next winter. A 1 in 9 chance of avoiding influenza, with its possibly disastrous effects, is worth it if the downside is some local discomfort.
Many older relatives complain about minor 'flu-like' illness after vaccination.
We can tell them that it is not the vaccine. In older people from one trial the NNT was 23. For those who have to deliver healthcare to the elderly, this is essential reading. ImpAct would like to hear from groups showing how to deliver high vaccination rates. V Demicheli, T Jefferson, D Rivetti, J Deeks.