The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has urged Britons to take their last chance to be vaccinated against flu in time for Christmas.
Amid rising cases of the seasonal virus across the country, the UKHSA has said it can take up to two weeks following vaccination for people to develop the maximum immune response.
The number of people in hospital in England with flu is at a record high for this time of year, up 55 per cent in a week, new NHS figures show.
Health chiefs warned the “unprecedented wave” was pushing staff to the limit, and said the surge in admissions shows “just how dangerous the situation is getting across our NHS hospitals”.
Dr Conall Watson, consultant epidemiologist at UKHSA, said now is the “last chance” for those eligible to get protected for the Christmas season.
“There is still plenty of flu vaccine available to protect those who need it – what’s running out is time to be protected ahead of Christmas,” Dr Watson said. “While new hospital admission rates for flu are not rising as sharply as last week, admissions are still increasing and GP attendances are rising as we continue to see the impacts of an unusually early season.”
An average of 2,660 flu patients were in hospital each day last week, up from 1,717 the previous week. At this point last year, the number stood at 1,861 patients, while in 2023 it was just 402.
Weekly flu numbers in England peaked at 5,408 patients last winter and reached 5,441 over the winter of 2022-23, the highest level since the pandemic.
The influx of hospital patients has largely been driven by the spread of a new “super” strain of flu, called H3N2, which can cause more severe symptoms and is different from the strain that this year’s vaccines were designed to protect against.
Dr Watson said: “Continuing RSV [respiratory syncytial virus] admissions, mostly among the very young and the very old, also reinforces why RSV vaccination in pregnancy to protect newborns is so important, as well as for older people.
“There are also simple steps we can all take to help protect one another through the festive period. If you have symptoms of flu or Covid-19 – like a high temperature, cough and feeling tired or achy – you should try to minimise contact with others, especially those more vulnerable. Washing hands regularly and ensuring indoor spaces are well ventilated both help. If you have symptoms and need to go out, you should consider wearing a face covering.”
