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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Increase the proportion of people who get the flu vaccine every year — IID‑09 Infographic

This objective is a Leading Health Indicator (LHI). Learn about LHIs.

Status: Getting worse

  Getting worse

Most Recent Data:
49.8 percent (2020-21)

Target:
70.0 percent

Desired Direction:
Increase desired

Baseline:
51.6 percent of persons aged 6 months and over were vaccinated against seasonal influenza for the flu season 2019-20

Each year, millions of people in the United States get sick with seasonal flu, and many thousands are hospitalized or die. Vaccination offers protection against severe illness from the flu — but many people don’t get the flu vaccine regularly. Low access to health care and lack of insurance, missed opportunities to vaccinate, and misinformation and distrust in vaccines cause many people to not get flu vaccinations. Implementing public education campaigns, sending vaccination reminders, making vaccines available in non-traditional settings like workplaces or retail stores, and offering vaccines at no or reduced cost are important strategies that may encourage more people to get a yearly flu vaccine.

In 2020–2021, 49.8 percent of people aged 6 months and over were vaccinated against seasonal influenza for the flu season.

Data Source:  National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), CDC/NCHS

Disparities in seasonal flu vaccination rates by health insurance status: Highest/lowest rate ‡

In 2020–2021, people aged 6 months and over who were uninsured had the lowest group rate of seasonal flu vaccination (20.7 percent). People with private health insurance (reference group) had the highest group rate (53.7 percent).

The flu vaccination rate among people with private health insurance was more than 2.5 times the rate among people who were uninsured (maximal rate ratio). The difference between the highest and lowest group rates was 33.0 percentage points (maximal rate difference).

Learn about how we calculate disparities data.

Disparities in seasonal flu vaccination rates by health insurance status: All groups ‡

In 2020–2021, people aged 6 months and over with private health insurance had the highest group rate of seasonal flu vaccination (53.7 percent).

  • The highest group rate was less than 10 percent higher than the flu vaccination rate among people with public health insurance. The ratio between the rates was not statistically significant.
  • The highest group rate was more than 2.5 times the flu vaccination rate among people who were uninsured.

Percentage of people who were vaccinated against seasonal flu, 2020–2021

53.7% People with private health insurance
52.0% People with public health insurance
20.7% People who were uninsured

Find data for additional demographic groups.