Coverage rate of flu vaccination in Italy 1999-2023

Overall, the share of individuals getting vaccinated against flu in Italy increased from 1999 to 2022, reaching the lowest point of 10.5 percent during the flu season 1999-2000, and the highest in the season 2020-2021 with the outbreak of COVID-19, when 23.7 percent of the Italian population received a flu shot. During the season 2022-2023 the coverage rate for flu vaccination was 20.2 percent. Even though most Italians do not get vaccinated against influenza every year, a survey conducted in 2020 on the topic of vaccine importance in Italy, revealed that the influenza vaccine was considered important by 78.5 percent of interviewees.

Flu vaccination across Italy

Coverage rates across the country, were different region to region during the winter of 2022-2023. Umbria was the region with the highest rate of flu vaccination with almost 24 percent coverage, followed by the regions of Apulia and Tuscany. Conversely, the Autonomous Province of Bolzano had the lowest rate of 10.9 percent. Umbria, was also the Italian region with the highest rate of elderly people who received the flu vaccination, with almost 69 percent of people over 65 years receiving the vaccine.

Flu vaccination by age group

Flu vaccination coverage in Italy during the flu season 2022-2023 varied greatly by age. Coverage was highest among individuals aged 65 years and older, with a rate of 56.7 percent, followed by toddlers and children aged 5-8 years with a vaccination rate of 22.6 percent. These groups are among those recommended by the Italian Ministry of Health to get vaccinated against seasonal flu.