NEW DELHI: As swine flu cases continue to surge in the country, the centre on Tuesday said that the flu vaccine is needed only for people above the age of 65 years who are immunocompromised.
Dr Rajiv Bahl, Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), said that there is no urgent need to take the vaccine against flu.
He added that individuals above 65 and those who are immunocompromised may discuss the vaccine with their doctors, but “right now there is no need for everyone to take it.”
He said that it's only a recommendation from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and it is not even in the National Immunisation Programme.
“We have done a cost-effective analysis of the flu vaccine in India. A vaccine is needed for some people above the age of 65 and if they are immune compromised,” he added.
Dr Bahl also said that H1N1 or swine flu accounts for 97-98% detected Influenza cases, while H3N2 accounts for about 2 to 3%.
He, however, said that there is no need to wear masks as H1N1 is driven by seasonal flu surge.
“There is no need for panic. Seasonal influenza remains self-limiting. There is no new or unusual virus strain detected,” Dr. Bahl said.
“H1N1 accounts for around 97-98 per cent of detected Influenza A infections, while H3N2 accounts for about 2-3 per cent. Influenza B, particularly the Victoria lineage, is also circulating but is not predominant,” he added.
“We are not asking people to wear masks because respiratory droplet infections travel at most one to two meters,” he said.
Stressing that the government is closely monitoring seasonal influenza trends across the country, the ICMR chief said that the influenza viruses currently circulating in the country are consistent with the seasonal pattern observed in recent years.
He said high-risk groups, including adults aged 65 and above, pregnant women, young children, and immunocompromised individuals, can opt for the Northern Hemisphere flu vaccine in consultation with their physicians.
He advised such individuals to exercise greater caution and seek timely medical advice if they develop influenza-like symptoms.
Dr. Bahl, who is also secretary of the Department of Health Research (DHR), said the surveillance mechanism will continue to closely track changes in influenza activity, circulating strains and disease severity.
“The Union Health Ministry, DHR, ICMR and NCDC are maintaining continuous epidemiological, virological and genomic surveillance to monitor influenza trends across the country. The extensive VRDL network enables timely detection and characterisation of circulating respiratory viruses and helps public health authorities respond appropriately to any emerging trends,” he added.
“The public is therefore advised to remain informed and vigilant, but not alarmed. Seasonal influenza is a familiar and routinely monitored respiratory infection, and adherence to simple preventive measures, timely medical consultation when required, and avoidance of unnecessary medication can help protect individuals and communities,” he further said.
So far, Delhi has reported over 2,600 influenza cases. Other states, which are also recording swine flu cases, are Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Kerala.
The ongoing genomic and epidemiological surveillance through the network of the circulating Influenza A (H1N1) viruses have been identified as A/Missouri/11/2025 (H1N1) pdm09-like viruses. Hemagglutinin (HA) gene analysis places the isolates in clade 6B.1A.5a2a; subclade D.3.1.1.
Dr. Bahl said that this lineage has been in continuous circulation in India since 2025.
The genetic changes observed are consistent with the normal antigenic drift seen in seasonal influenza viruses. Such minor genetic changes occur routinely as influenza viruses circulate and, by themselves, do not indicate the emergence of a new or dangerous strain, he said.
He advised standard hand hygiene, respiratory etiquette, and maintaining a distance of one to two meters from symptomatic individuals to avoid heavy respiratory droplets.
