UK public health officials have issued a winter virus warning as flu positivity levels jumped from 11.6% to 17.1% in a week, with hospitalisations rising steeply.
An alert from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) on 12 December warned that ‘vaccine take-up rates lag behind levels needed to protect the NHS’; while levels of norovirus are at the ‘highest in a decade for the time of year’.
Hospitalisations for influenza have risen from 5.53 per 100,000 from 3.98 per 100,000 the week before. Yet officials warn that flu and Covid vaccine uptake is still far lower than needed to prevent further rises in admissions.
Vaccine uptake is currently at 37% for those in a clinical risk group, UKHSA said.
With the national booking system for flu vaccine closing on the 19 December, there is only a week left to improve immunisation rates, the NHS said.
Hospitals are facing increasing pressure with norovirus also running double the five season average. An unusual norovirus genotype, GII.17 is driving the increase, experts believe.
Covid is still circulating at low levels, surveillance figures show.
NHS England announced in March that the flu vaccination programme would be moved from September to October this year in order to maximise vaccine effectiveness, with Covid vaccination to commence at the same time.
Susan Hopkins, chief medical advisor at UKHSA, said: ‘The threat of an early flu season is materialising, alongside norovirus rates increasing rapidly.
‘With winter vaccine uptake not yet reaching the high levels we aim for in some eligible groups – including healthcare workers, our forecasts for infection rates are not getting any brighter.’
She added: ‘In just one week it will be too late to book through the NHS online booking service. Taking up the vaccine will prevent putting your seasonal plans in jeopardy – and more importantly, prevent the risk of severe illness and hospitalisation.’
Chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty said: ‘The latest data is clear that flu is rising rapidly, and we are approaching a serious flu wave.
‘Flu can be unpleasant for many and life threatening for some. With the festive season approaching we can still reduce illness, hospitalisations and deaths by increasing vaccination rates – it is our best defence.
‘Now is the time to get vaccinated if you are eligible.’
Saffron Cordery, interim chief executive, NHS Providers, said: ‘The NHS is feeling the heat as winter intensifies pressure on already stretched services, with soaring numbers of people in hospital with flu and other seasonal viruses.
‘There was a big jump too in the number of most serious ambulance incidents.
‘Persistent demand keeps piling pressure on hospital, ambulance, community and mental health services tackling huge financial and operational challenges every day but trust leaders and staff are meeting those challenges head-on,’ she added.
Two weeks ago UKHSA urged healthcare professionals to come forward for their flu jab and Covid booster, amid ‘lower than expected’ uptake.
In all, 24% of NHS workers had received their flu vaccine at the time, and 14% had received their Covid vaccine. GPs had a slightly higher uptake than other healthcare professionals but it was still only 42% for flu and 23.6% for Covid.
Earlier this month there were warnings of a ‘quad-demic’ with flu, Covid, RSV and norovirus cases.
A version of this story was first published on our sister title Pulse.
