INTERACTIVE: Malaysian seniors under-vaccinated as flu cases surge

By SHYAFIQ DZULKIFLI

PETALING JAYA: The current flu season has put the spotlight on school students, with over 6,000 down with influenza.

However, attention is also needed for another vulnerable group - the elderly.

Authorities have not released figures on how many seniors have been infected.

However, health experts say more needs to be done to encourage them to get flu shots.

This is because studies have shown that the vaccination rate in Malaysia is very low among individuals aged 60 and above.

For instance, a 2023 study by researchers at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Medical Molecular Biology Institute found that only 5.5% of 13,110 elderly participants in the study had received influenza vaccinations.

The vaccination figure falls far below the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended coverage rate of between 50% to 90%.

The study defined the elderly as individuals aged 60 and above.

“The influenza vaccination coverage rate among Malaysian elderly was lower than that among the elderly in Singapore, Brazil, and Greece,” the study said.

One of the study’s authors Dr Nor Azila Muhammad Azami said influenza is often perceived as a childhood illness, leading to the overlooking of its impact on the elderly. 

Nor Azila who is a research fellow at the UKM institute said Malaysia needs to advocate for greater awareness about the benefits of influenza vaccination in the elderly. 

Malaysian Influenza Working Group chairman Professor Dr Zamberi Sekawi said the country is seeing a clear rise in influenza cases, mirroring trends in neighbouring countries such as Thailand and Singapore.

He said the increase in flu cases is driven by seasonal weather changes, low population immunity, and increased gatherings, particularly in educational institutions.

“The current influenza positive rate is higher compared to the same period last year, indicating stronger community transmission,” he said.

According to the figures from WHO’s Influenza Laboratory Surveillance Information portal, the positive rate for tested influenza samples in Malaysia reached 20.82% during Week 29 (Sept 22-28), the highest recorded this year.

This marks a sharp rise from the 5.15% recorded in Week 27 (June 30-July 6), reflecting an ongoing upward trend.

As of Week 40 (Sept 29-Oct 5), Influenza A and its subtypes accounted for more than 98% of all positive influenza samples in Malaysia.

During the week, the dominant influenza strain circulating in Malaysia was Influenza A (H3), which accounted for 81.76% of all positive influenza samples detected nationwide.

Zamberi said that flu vaccination coverage among Malaysian adults remains at below 5%, far short of the WHO’s target. 

“The Health Ministry’s initiative to fund flu vaccinations for older adults is excellent, but it must be further strengthened,” he said.

Zamberi stressed that older adults, young children, those with chronic illnesses, pregnant women and healthcare workers remain the most vulnerable.

“I would like to urge the Ministry of Health to increase awareness of flu among high-risk groups.

“Strengthening public awareness, making vaccines more accessible, and encouraging healthcare providers to recommend vaccination can significantly reduce flu-related hospitalizations and death,” he said.

In February, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad announced the expansion of the Influenza Immunisation Programme, which will cover not only frontline healthcare workers but also senior citizens aged 60 and above with at least one chronic illness.

The voluntary vaccination drive began on Feb 18, a move expected to benefit over 170,000 high-risk senior citizens, who can make appointments through the MySejahtera app.

On Monday (October 13), Education director-general Dr Mohd Azam Ahmad said that about 6,000 school students nationwide have been infected with influenza so far, prompting the closure of several schools on the advice of their respective district health offices.