Sun Oct 05 00:00:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing the information and written in the style of *The Hindu*:

**Headline: Experts Urge Biannual Flu Vaccination as India Battles Dual Influenza Peaks**

**New Delhi, October 5, 2025:** A new analysis published in *The Hindu* calls for a significant shift in India’s influenza vaccination strategy, advocating for a biannual schedule to combat the nation’s unique dual-peak flu season. The current annual vaccination approach is proving inadequate, leaving large segments of the population vulnerable, according to medical experts.

For many, influenza, or “the flu”, is dismissed as a seasonal nuisance that causes fever, cough, and body aches for a week or so before disappearing. Influenza is far from harmless, however. Worldwide, it’s a major cause of respiratory illness, hospitalisation, and deaths, especially among children, older adults, and people with underlying medical conditions.

India experiences two distinct influenza outbreaks each year: during the winter months (January-March) and in the post-monsoon period (July-September). This pattern, combined with the relatively short duration of protection offered by existing flu vaccines, necessitates a re-evaluation of the current annual vaccination approach.

“The annual vaccine just doesn’t fit India’s reality,” explains Dr. Vipin M. Vashishtha, Director and Paediatrician at Mangla Hospital and Research Center, Bijnor, co-author of the analysis. “A single shot either protects against the monsoon surge but wanes before winter, or vice versa. Half the year’s influenza burden remains unaddressed.”

The authors propose a biannual vaccination schedule, with one dose administered in May/June, prior to the monsoon season, and another in November/December, before the winter peak. This strategy, they argue, would provide more consistent protection, significantly reducing influenza cases, hospitalizations, and related deaths.

While the idea of two flu shots per year might seem demanding, the potential health benefits, especially for children who account for a significant portion of influenza-related hospitalizations, are substantial.

Despite the availability of flu vaccines for over a decade, uptake in India remains low, with less than 5% of the population receiving them. This is attributed to a perception of influenza as a minor illness, limited public awareness, and the absence of strong government policy support. Currently, influenza vaccines are not part of the Universal Immunisation Program (UIP) and are left to the private market.

“Biannual vaccination, if backed by government policy, could be a turning point,” asserts Dr. Puneet Kumar, Clinician at Kumar Child Clinic, New Delhi, and co-author of the analysis. Integrating influenza vaccination into the UIP could leverage India’s robust domestic vaccine production capacity, making the vaccines more affordable and accessible. Combined with comprehensive public awareness campaigns, this move could increase coverage and normalize influenza vaccination among the public.

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