INDIA ALIGNS WITH GLOBAL FLU VACCINE GUIDELINES

India aligns with shift in global guidelines for influenza vaccination, urgent need to prioritise preventives

 Transition in accordance with WHO recommendation for flu vaccination

Bengaluru, India, 23^rd August, 2025-

 Zydus Lifesciences Limited (including its subsidiaries/affiliates hereafter referred to as “Zydus”) an innovation-led global lifesciences company held a health symposium at Bengaluru to create a convergence of leading healthcare professionals who spoke on the transition to a new influenza vaccination guideline, as recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for Northern hemisphere 2025-26.

Global influenza remains a significant public health concern, causing an estimated 400,000 respiratory and 300,000 deaths across the world annually¹. In US and Europe almost 50% of the population is vaccinated for seasonal flu annually¹. India which successfully leads the universal immunisation programme (UIP), has been able to counter several debilitating childhood vaccine preventable diseases. However, in India the flu vaccination is an unmet need and has less than 1.5 % of the population getting vaccinated.

Dr. Sharvil Patel, Managing Director, Zydus Lifesciences Limited said, “Good health starts with prevention, and vaccines play a key role in protecting people and improving health. Influenza continues to pose a recurring challenge, leading to seasonal outbreaks and placing a considerable burden on healthcare systems. Vaccination plays a vital role in reducing the spread of infection, lowering the severity of disease, and preventing complications, especially among high-risk and vulnerable groups. At Zydus, we are committed to advancing preventive healthcare by promoting timely vaccination and raising awareness about its importance in controlling influenza and safeguarding public health.”

As per WHO’s 2025-26 recommendations of NH strains, the persistent absence of naturally occurring B/Yamagata lineage viruses since March 2020 indicates a very low risk of infection². Consequently, the inclusion of a B/Yamagata antigen in quadrivalent influenza vaccines is no longer considered necessary. Aligning with this, the CDC has excluded the B/Yamagata component from all U.S. influenza vaccines starting with the 2024–25 season³. This decision reflects global surveillance data and aims to streamline vaccine composition for improved efficacy and production efficiency.

National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), India has also recommended to follow the WHO guidelines to adopt the latest strain of the vaccine, to prevent influenza and influenza-like illnesses which is emerging as a serious health concern⁴. The disease disproportionately affects vulnerable populations such as infants, the elderly, and individuals with chronic conditions.

Seasonal influenza infections happen in India throughout the year, with twin peaks during the monsoon and winter seasons⁵. Every year influenza causes substantial disease and deaths, but estimating the number of deaths due to influenza is challenging as routine testing and robust surveillance for influenza is not carried out and it is rarely certified as a cause of death⁵. Significantly, out of 1.27 lakh deaths attributed to influenza per year, almost 65% of the deaths occurred among older persons above 65 yr and 15-20 per cent were among children under five⁵. This necessitates annual vaccinations of the nationally defined target groups with vaccine composition depending on the current circulating strains.

Zydus, which is one of the largest manufacturers of flu vaccines in India has been advocating preventive health and timely vaccination to prevent influenza, influenza like illnesses and other related complications in high-risk group in vulnerable population. Influenza is a highly contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses which spreads from person to person, mainly through airborne respiratory droplets generated from coughing and sneezing or direct contact with an infected surface or individual.