Flu, COVID and RSV

 

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Get vaccinated against flu, COVID and RSV!

Flu hit hospitals in England even harder last week, as a ‘tidal wave’ of infections led to a 70% increase in hospital cases across just 7 days.

 

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Avoid Festive flu

We encourage all eligible patients to get vaccinated without delay if they haven’t done so already to avoid “festive flu”. Latest figures show the NHS is going into winter under more pressure than ever before with an average of 1,099 people in hospital with flu every day last week compared to 243 in the same week last year – the highest number of cases heading into winter for at least 3 years. This alongside RSV, Norovirus and Covid infections has put immense pressure on the acute trusts.

We urge that all those who are eligible for a flu jab make sure that they’re vaccinated to ensure they’re protected in time for family get togethers over the festive period. It normally takes about 2 weeks following a flu jab to offer maximum protection.

Hospitals in England are managing record flu levels for this time of year as fears of a potential ‘quad-demic’ continue to rise, with a 350% increase in hospital flu cases compared to the same week last year.

Latest figures show the NHS is going into winter under more pressure than ever before with an average of 1,099 people in hospital with flu every day last week compared to 243 in the same week last year – the highest number of cases heading into winter for at least 3 years.

See the latest figures here.

In line with advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, those currently eligible for a flu vaccine this year include:

  • pregnant women
  • all children aged 2 or 3 years on 31 August 2024
  • primary school aged children (from reception to year 6)
  • secondary school aged children (from year 7 to year 11)
  • all children in clinical risk groups aged from 6 months to less than 18 years
  • those aged 65 years and over
  • those aged 18 years to under 65 years in clinical risk groups (as defined by the Green Book)
  • those in long-stay residential care homes
  • carers in receipt of carer’s allowance, or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person
  • close contacts of immunocompromised individuals
  • frontline workers in a social care setting without an employer led occupational health scheme including those working for a registered residential care or nursing home, registered domiciliary care providers, voluntary managed hospice providers and those who receive direct payments (personal budgets) or personal health budgets, such as personal assistants
 

Book your vaccinations

For the first time ever, the NHS is also offering the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine to pregnant women from 28 weeks and older adults aged 75 to 79. Pregnant women are encouraged to book their vaccine via their maternity service or GP practice and older adults should wait to be invited by the NHS.

It is never too late to get jabbed.

COVID-19 vaccination: 

Flu vaccinations:

For the first time ever, we are also offering the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine to pregnant women from 28 weeks and older adults aged 75 to 79. Pregnant women are encouraged to book their vaccine via their maternity service or GP practice and older adults will be invited by the practice if eligible but if you have not received your invitation and are eligible, please contact our team to arrange this.

Published: Dec 19, 2024