A wide range of people in the UK may be eligible for a free flu vaccine this season after the NHS confirmed that infections are increasing “earlier than usual.” Each year, the NHS provides flu vaccinations throughout autumn and early winter, as this is when flu activity tends to peak. Although influenza is typically mild for most people and symptoms clear up within a few weeks, some individuals face a much higher risk of serious complications and therefore need extra protection.

To ensure those at greatest risk are shielded from severe illness, the flu jab is offered free of charge to certain groups.

According to NHS England on X (formerly Twitter): “Flu cases have arrived earlier than usual and are already three times higher than this point last year, with infections climbing fastest among children. So far, NHS teams have administered 12.2 million flu vaccines to help safeguard the most vulnerable.”

How the Flu Jab Protects You?

The flu vaccine trains your immune system to recognise and fight the influenza virus without needing to be infected first. It contains a small, inactive portion of the flu virus, which triggers your body’s natural defences to produce antibodies.

After receiving the jab, it takes around ten days for protection to fully develop. Importantly, the vaccine cannot cause the flu, as the virus it contains is inactive. Most people only need one dose each year to stay protected through the season.

Who Can Get the Flu Jab for Free?

As per current NHS guidelines, six main groups of people can receive the flu jab at no cost. You qualify for a free vaccination if you are at higher risk or live with someone who may be.

Those eligible include:

• Adults aged 65 or older, or anyone turning 65 by March 31, 2026
• People living with someone whose immune system is compromised (for example, those undergoing chemotherapy)
• Main carers for older or disabled individuals, or anyone receiving carer’s allowance
• Individuals with certain long-term medical conditions
• Residents of care homes
• Pregnant women

How to Access Your Free Flu Vaccine?

If you qualify, you can receive the free vaccine in several convenient ways. You may book an appointment through your GP practice, or if you are aged 18 or over, you can arrange one online or through the NHS App at a participating pharmacy.

Many pharmacies also allow eligible individuals to walk in for the jab without a prior appointment, making it easier for those who need protection to get vaccinated quickly and safely.

However, not every pharmacy is part of the free flu vaccination programme. You can check which nearby pharmacies offer the service through the NHS website’s locator tool. The site also provides complete details about the flu vaccine, including information on its ingredients and how it works.

Measles case, the first of 2026 is confirmed in Kentucky state, as the health officials announced the state's first positive measles case of the year on Thursday. The Kentucky Department for Public Health reports that an unvaccinated Jessamine County resident tested positive for measles. Officials have confirmed that the person was exposed to measles when an out-of0state travel who was infectious visited Fayette County between December 31, 2025 to January 2, 2026.

Previously, it was also reported by the health officials that the infectious person stayed at the Hyatt Place in Hamburg from December 31 and January 3. The person ate at Panera in Hamburg on January 1. This information will help in contract tracing.

Why Is Measles Making A Comeback In The US?

The measles outbreak in South Carolina started in October and from thereon, it showed no signs of slowing. In fact, Dr Linda Bell, South Carolina's state epidemiologist said at a news conference on Wednesday, this has happened because country's "lower-than-hoped-for vaccination coverage".

Read: Measles Warning: 'Be Careful, Holidays Worry Us', Says Doctor

Vaccination Rates Have Gone Down

In the 2024–25 school year, roughly 90 percent of students in Spartanburg County received all their required childhood vaccines, including the measles, mumps and rubella shot. While that number may sound high, it still falls short of the national average and the 95 percent coverage that experts say is needed to stop measles from spreading in a community.

Several of the schools where students are now in quarantine have vaccination rates that drop well below 90 percent, based on state data.

Health officials pointed out that measles can disrupt lives even for those who never get sick. In South Carolina, a few unvaccinated students were exposed to the virus twice, which meant they had to quarantine twice for 21 days each time. That is more than a month of missed school.

“That’s a significant amount of time,” Dr. Bell said. “Vaccination continues to be the best way to prevent the disruption that measles is causing to people’s education and to employment.”

State officials have increased their outreach around the MMR vaccine, although it is still unclear if these efforts are making a real difference. Uptake has been limited, according to Andrew Nixon, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services. He said vaccination remains “the best way to protect against measles” and encouraged people to speak with a doctor about what makes the most sense for them.

This is not just the case of South Carolina, but every where else the vaccination rates have fallen down, noted Harvard Health. In fact, same is the case with flu vaccines as rates have gone down, exposing more vulnerable population to such diseases.

Also Read: How Did This Once Eliminated Disease Come Back?

What Is Measles?

Measles, also known as rubeola, is a highly contagious viral illness that typically causes fever, cough, a runny nose, red and watery eyes, and a distinctive red, blotchy rash that usually begins on the face and spreads downward. The virus spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes and can lead to serious complications such as pneumonia or brain inflammation. Despite its severity, measles is preventable through a safe and effective vaccine, as per the Mayo Clinic.

How Contagious Is Measles?

Measles is among the most contagious diseases in the world. The virus spreads through airborne droplets that can linger in the air or on surfaces for hours. Up to 90% of unvaccinated people who are exposed to measles will become infected. A single infected person can pass the virus to an estimated 12 to 18 others through close contact or shared spaces. People can transmit the virus days before symptoms become obvious and continue spreading it after the rash appears, according to the World Health Organization.

How Long Is Someone Contagious With Measles?

Someone infected with measles can spread the virus from four days before the rash develops to four days after it appears. The virus spreads so efficiently that about 90% of people who are unvaccinated or have never had measles will become infected after being exposed.

In November, Canada lost its measles elimination status following a significant outbreak, according to the Pan American Health Organization, which works closely with the World Health Organization.

“It’s important to say that all the other 34 countries in the region, they keep their certification as measles-free,” said PAHO/WHO Director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa at the time, as per NPR News.

U.S. health officials have also warned that genetic links between outbreaks in different states suggest continued spread.

“The trajectory that we’re looking at now is that we do anticipate more cases well into January,” Bell said. “What that means for us nationally in terms of how they are defining our designation in this country as having eliminated measles is unclear.”

President Trump on Thursday launched The Great Healthcare Plan, a health care proposal that outlined a set of cost-cutting ideas. The White House website reads: "President Donald J. Trump is calling on Congress to enact the Great Healthcare Plan, a comprehensive plan to lower drug prices, lower insurance premiums, hold big insurance companies accountable, and maximize price transparency."

What Does This Great Healthcare Plan Offer?

In terms of lowering the price, prescribed drugs make it to the list, along with insurance premiums. Furthermore, the plan also states "holding big insurance companies accountable" and "maximize price transparency" as the features it will be introducing soon.

Great Healthcare Plan By Trump: Lower Drug Prices

This allows lower prescription prices for all Americans by "codifying the Trump Administration's Most-Favored-Nation deals" to get Americans the same low prices for prescription drugs that people in other countries pay. This had already been introduced before on President's personal website, TrumpRx. On its launch, Trump signed deals with popular weight loss companies to lower their weight loss drug prices.

This initiative will further allow more over the counter medicines to be available at a cheaper rate. The website mentions that this will lower healthcare cost and increase "consumer choice by strengthening price transparency, increasing competition, and reducing the need for costly and time consuming doctor’s visits".

Great Healthcare Plan By Trump: Lower Insurance Premium

This feature includes three things:

• Send the Money Directly To The American People
• Fund cost-sharing Reduction Program
• Cut Kickback Costs

So, what do these mean? The first feature means that the plan aims to stop sending big insurance companies billions in extra taxpayer-funded subsidy payments. Instead, money will be sent directly to eligible Americans to allow them to buy the health insurance of their choice.

The second feature includes a cost-sharing reduction program for healthcare plans which would save taxpayers at least $36 billion and reduce the most common Obamacare plan premiums by over 10%.

Lastly, the plan aims to end kickbacks from pharmacy benefit managers to the large brokerage middlemen that deceptively raise the cost of health insurance.

Great Healthcare Plan By Trump: Hold Big Insurance Companies Accountable

The first feature 'Create the “Plain-English Insurance” Standard' means that it will require health insurance companies to publish rate and coverage comparison upfront on their websites in "plain English - not industry jargon". This will be done so that consumers can make better insurance purchasing decisions.

The plan will also require health insurance companies to publish the percentage of their revenues that are paid out to claims versus overhead costs and profits on their websites.

Lastly, it will require health insurers to publish the percentage of insurance claims they reject and average wait times for routine care on their websites.

Great Healthcare Plan By Trump: Maximize Price Transparency

The plan would require any healthcare provider or insurer who accepts either Medicare or Medicaid to

publicly and prominently post their pricing and fees to avoid surprise medical bills.

Why Is Trump's Great Healthcare Plan Is Being Introduced?

Earlier, polls have found that many voters were unhappy with the rising health care premiums and lawmakers' inability to reach a deal on ACA subsidies. This lapse led to a spike in health-insurance cost of millions of marketplace enrollees.

“There’ll be ongoing conversations, and we hope to be able to support with specific language for the legislation,” Mehmet Oz, one of Trump’s top health care deputies, told reporters Thursday on a conference call.

Japanese researchers have developed a new form of wearable health technology that could reshape how illness is detected. The innovation takes the form of a “living skin” implant that emits a green glow when the body begins to show early signs of disease. Designed to sit within the skin, the implant offers a visible warning when internal health markers shift, potentially alerting users before symptoms become obvious.

How The Glowing Implant Works

The implant works by monitoring internal biomarkers, which are proteins linked to inflammation, stress, and disease processes. When these biomarkers move outside their normal range, the implant responds by glowing green. Rather than depending on a smartwatch or fitness tracker, this approach would allow people to see changes in their health directly on their skin, offering continuous feedback throughout the day and night.

The project was developed by scientists from Tokyo City University and the University of Tokyo, with technical support from engineers at RIKEN and Canon Medical Systems. The team has already tested the concept in mice, where the implant functioned as a living sensor display embedded in the skin.

Why Researchers Sought a New Approach

The research was also featured in the Daily Star as part of The Weird Science Drop newsletter, which highlighted a range of unusual scientific developments alongside this project.

No Batteries, No Replacements

One of the most striking aspects of the implant is what it does not need. The sensor is made from living epidermal stem cells, allowing it to survive through the skin’s natural regeneration process. Because it is maintained by the body itself, the implant does not require batteries or external power sources, as per Express UK.

Professor Fujita noted that this makes the technology fundamentally different from traditional devices. “Unlike conventional devices that require power sources or periodic replacement, this system is biologically maintained by the body itself,” he said. In laboratory experiments, the sensor remained functional for more than 200 days, with the engineered stem cells continuously renewing the skin while keeping the implant active.

Potential Uses Beyond Human Health

As per Express UK, while the technology is still being tested, the researchers believe its applications could extend well beyond human healthcare. They suggest it may be especially useful in animal research and veterinary medicine. Since animals cannot describe how they feel, a visible signal on the skin could help detect illness earlier and allow for faster intervention.

Although the implant is not yet ready for everyday use, it offers a glimpse into a future where health monitoring becomes part of the body itself, quietly working in the background and providing clear visual cues when something is not right.