A Health Protection Scotland report has shown just 73.5 per cent of over 65s have been inoculated so far in 2016, compared to 75.5 per cent at the same point last year, and 75.9 per cent in 2014.
Significantly fewer under 65s who are deemed to be “at risk” from influenza have been vaccinated (46.4 per cent) compared to last year (52.5 per cent), while pregnant women are also less likely to receive the jab.
Uptake among pregnant women with additional health problems is also down, the report stated, although there has been an increase in pre-school children being vaccinated.
The Scottish Government launches its flu jab campaign every year, urging a range of groups to immunise themselves against the infection, which can cause serious problems among those with health difficulties.
Scottish Conservative health spokesman Jackson Carlaw said:
“Uptake is down quite notably on the previous couple of years.
“That equates to thousands of people who are not getting the protection they need across all sections of society.
“For most seasonal flu is an inconvenience, but for others it can be a death sentence.
“The Scottish Government can’t get complacent about this, and it needs to explain why it hasn’t been as successful this year in getting the message across.
“It may well have been a milder-than-usual winter, but that does not mean we can let this vital jab initiative slip.
“Perhaps if ministers worked more closely with pharmacists, instead of undermining their role, this decline would be reversed.”