Health and Me

Itisha Arya

Flu Cases In The UK Are Rising Fast This Year—Here’s What Is Making It Worse

nhs flu cases rising

<strong><span rel="noindex">NHS Flu Cases</span></strong>: Flu season has arrived far earlier than expected this year, and hospitals across England are already seeing a sharp rise in cases. The latest figures show that the number of patients admitted with flu is more than 50 percent higher than the same week last year. During the week starting 24 November, an average of 1,717 people were in hospital with flu each day, including 69 who needed critical care, as per The Independent.

In the same week last year, the total was 1,098 patients, with 39 in critical care. These numbers follow recent warnings from the <span>NHS</span>, which urged vulnerable groups to get their flu jabs as early as possible, as experts fear this could turn into one of the most challenging winters in recent memory. This raises several key questions. What is driving this sudden surge, how severe could the coming months be, and how much protection can the vaccine offer?

<h2>NHS Flu Cases: What’s Causing The Flu Surge?</h2>

Specialists suspect an altered form of influenza A is behind the early rise in cases. They observed Australia’s recent flu season, which often gives a hint of what lies ahead for the UK, and saw record-breaking infection levels. Alerts also came from the Asia-Pacific region, where Japan announced a flu epidemic in October and schools were temporarily closed.

Flu viruses fall into three groups: influenza A (H1N1), influenza A (H3N2), and influenza B. This year, the main culprit is the H3N2 strain. Flu viruses constantly change through a process called antigenic drift, which is why vaccines are updated each year. In the Northern Hemisphere, the strains for the upcoming winter season are chosen in February.

However, this particular H3N2 strain, known as subclade K, changed more rapidly over the summer and is now considered significantly different from the strain used in the current vaccine, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). After reviewing the latest NHS numbers, Sarah Woolnough, chief executive of The King’s Fund, noted that the flu season has “not yet peaked,” adding that it is still uncertain how long this early surge will last.

Health experts fear that thousands of people could lose their lives this winter. Flu-related deaths more than doubled last year, with the UKHSA estimating 7,757 deaths in England, compared with 3,555 the year before. Deaths among children also rose from 34 to 53. Senior NHS leaders have warned of a very difficult winter ahead. In November, NHS England chief executive Jim Mackey said staff may face “one of the toughest” seasons yet.

He admitted that the prospect of a long, heavy flu season had been a major concern, and current trends suggest that these worries were well founded. Australia recorded its worst flu season on record, with more than 410,000 cases, and the expectation is that the UK may face similar patterns. He added that from December through March, hospitals will likely run at full capacity.

<h2>NHS Flu Cases: How Effective Are The Vaccines?</h2>

The UKHSA has analysed how well this year’s vaccine is performing by examining whether vaccinated people are less likely to be admitted to hospital with flu. Early assessments show that the vaccine is offering around 70 to 75 percent protection against hospital attendance in children aged two to seventeen, and around 30 to 40 percent protection in adults.

Dr Jamie Lopez Bernal, consultant epidemiologist for immunisation at UKHSA, said he remains confident that the vaccine will provide important protection for those most at risk, regardless of which strain becomes dominant. He explained that practising good respiratory hygiene and reducing contact with others when symptomatic can also help lower transmission. According to NHS England, 14.4 million flu vaccines were administered during the autumn, which is more than 160,000 ahead of the same point last year.

<h2>NHS Flu Cases: Should You Get A Flu Vaccine?</h2>

Flu vaccinations are free and advised for several groups, including:

<ul><li>Everyone aged 65 and above</li><li>People under 65 who fall into clinical risk categories</li><li>Residents of care homes and their carers</li><li>Pregnant women</li><li>Close contacts of people who are immunosuppressed</li><li>Frontline health and social care workers</li><li>Children</li></ul>

Vaccinations began in October, but anyone eligible can still get their jab until 31 March.

<strong>You can get vaccinated by:</strong>

<ul><li>Making an appointment with your GP surgery</li><li>Booking a free NHS flu jab at a pharmacy through the NHS website or app</li><li>Visiting a pharmacy that offers walk-in NHS flu vaccinations if you are 18 or older</li></ul>

As of 23 November, 69.6 percent of people aged over 65 had received their jab. Uptake was lower in other groups, including adults under 65 with long-term health conditions (35.1 percent), pregnant women (33.9 percent), and children aged two (39.8 percent) and three (40.3 percent).

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NHS Flu Cases: Flu season has arrived far earlier than expected this year, and hospitals across England are already seeing a sharp rise in cases. The latest figures show that the number of patients admitted with flu is more than 50 percent higher than the same week last year. During the week starting 24 November, an average of 1,717 people were in hospital with flu each day, including 69 who needed critical care, as per The Independent.In the same week last year, the total was 1,098 patients, with 39 in critical care. These numbers follow recent warnings from the NHS, which urged vulnerable groups to get their flu jabs as early as possible, as experts fear this could turn into one of the most challenging winters in recent memory. This raises several key questions. What is driving this sudden surge, how severe could the coming months be, and how much protection can the vaccine offer?NHS Flu Cases: What’s Causing The Flu Surge?Specialists suspect an altered form of influenza A is behind the early rise in cases. They observed Australia’s recent flu season, which often gives a hint of what lies ahead for the UK, and saw record-breaking infection levels. Alerts also came from the Asia-Pacific region, where Japan announced a flu epidemic in October and schools were temporarily closed.Flu viruses fall into three groups: influenza A (H1N1), influenza A (H3N2), and influenza B. This year, the main culprit is the H3N2 strain. Flu viruses constantly change through a process called antigenic drift, which is why vaccines are updated each year. In the Northern Hemisphere, the strains for the upcoming winter season are chosen in February.However, this particular H3N2 strain, known as subclade K, changed more rapidly over the summer and is now considered significantly different from the strain used in the current vaccine, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). After reviewing the latest NHS numbers, Sarah Woolnough, chief executive of The King’s Fund, noted that the flu season has “not yet peaked,” adding that it is still uncertain how long this early surge will last.NHS Flu Cases: How Bad Is It?Health experts fear that thousands of people could lose their lives this winter. Flu-related deaths more than doubled last year, with the UKHSA estimating 7,757 deaths in England, compared with 3,555 the year before. Deaths among children also rose from 34 to 53. Senior NHS leaders have warned of a very difficult winter ahead. In November, NHS England chief executive Jim Mackey said staff may face “one of the toughest” seasons yet.He admitted that the prospect of a long, heavy flu season had been a major concern, and current trends suggest that these worries were well founded. Australia recorded its worst flu season on record, with more than 410,000 cases, and the expectation is that the UK may face similar patterns. He added that from December through March, hospitals will likely run at full capacity.NHS Flu Cases: How Effective Are The Vaccines?The UKHSA has analysed how well this year’s vaccine is performing by examining whether vaccinated people are less likely to be admitted to hospital with flu. Early assessments show that the vaccine is offering around 70 to 75 percent protection against hospital attendance in children aged two to seventeen, and around 30 to 40 percent protection in adults.Dr Jamie Lopez Bernal, consultant epidemiologist for immunisation at UKHSA, said he remains confident that the vaccine will provide important protection for those most at risk, regardless of which strain becomes dominant. He explained that practising good respiratory hygiene and reducing contact with others when symptomatic can also help lower transmission. According to NHS England, 14.4 million flu vaccines were administered during the autumn, which is more than 160,000 ahead of the same point last year.NHS Flu Cases: Should You Get A Flu Vaccine?Flu vaccinations are free and advised for several groups, including:Everyone aged 65 and abovePeople under 65 who fall into clinical risk categoriesResidents of care homes and their carersPregnant womenClose contacts of people who are immunosuppressedFrontline health and social care workersChildrenVaccinations began in October, but anyone eligible can still get their jab until 31 March.You can get vaccinated by:Making an appointment with your GP surgeryBooking a free NHS flu jab at a pharmacy through the NHS website or appVisiting a pharmacy that offers walk-in NHS flu vaccinations if you are 18 or olderAs of 23 November, 69.6 percent of people aged over 65 had received their jab. Uptake was lower in other groups, including adults under 65 with long-term health conditions (35.1 percent), pregnant women (33.9 percent), and children aged two (39.8 percent) and three (40.3 percent).