EU citizens over the age of 65 taking the flu vaccination declines, with a marked divide between western and eastern member states.
47.1% of older adults in the EU were vaccinated against influenza in 2023, a decrease from 48.4% in 2022, according to Eurostat.
Rates have fluctuated over time, with the highest recorded in 2009 at 52.4% and the lowest in 2015 at 39.9%.
Denmark had the highest vaccination rate among EU countries for this age group, with 77.5% of people aged 65 and over receiving the flu vaccine.
Ireland and Portugal followed, with 75.7% and 71.8% respectively.
At the other end of the scale, Poland, Slovakia and Bulgaria reported the lowest rates, with just 9.6%, 11.7% and 15.2% of their older populations vaccinated.
Bulgaria sees largest increase
Bulgaria had the most significant rise compared to the previous year, with a 46.2% increase in the vaccination rate among those aged 65 and over.
Lithuania and Poland also saw notable increases of 12.1% and 11.6%, respectively.
By contrast, Cyprus recorded the largest decrease in flu vaccination rates for this age group, falling by 30.1%.
Sweden and Estonia also saw declines, with reductions of 10% and 9.5%.
Previous data from Eurostat show there was an increase in vaccination rates to 50.7% in 2021 before the subsequent decline.
