NHS patients from around England have joined health chiefs in pleading with the public to get their flu vaccines after being hospitalised with the virus.
The resurgence of flu this winter has meant the NHS has seen a continued rise in flu inpatients, which have soared to their highest this winter with 5,500 people in hospital with the virus last week.
The number of patients with COVID-19 in hospital also rose to an average of 9,390 patients last week, up by almost 1,200 on the week before.
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While almost 20 million people have had a flu jab, including four in five over 65s, and more than 17 million people have had a COVID booster, there are still a number of eligible people who are yet to take up their winter vaccinations and are therefore at increased risk of serious illness.
‘There has been a dramatic increase in hospital admissions for flu and we are seeing the highest levels of hospital admissions we’ve seen in at least a decade. There are currently over 5,000 hospital beds a day taken up by flu patients, compared to just 50 this time last year,’ said Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay.
‘We are already taking action with up to £14.1 billion additional funding in the autumn statement over the next two years to improve urgent and emergency care, with an extra £500 million to help get fit people out of hospital quicker, freeing up beds and getting ambulances back on the roads.’
Those eligible for the flu jab include all people aged 50 and over, health and social care workers, people aged six months and over and considered ‘at risk’ due to another medical condition, as well as pregnant women and children aged two and three. Flu cases in hospital jumped up by almost a half (47%) last week, as staff in NHS 111 answered a near record number of calls.
‘It is both heart-breaking to hear the stories of those who have been hospitalised with flu and heart-warming that they received such brilliant care from NHS staff and quite possibly had their lives saved by the flu vaccine,’ said NHS Director of Vaccinations and Screening Steve Russell.
“With hospital cases for flu at their highest yet this winter with 5,500 beds occupied by patients with flu and more than 9,000 patients with COVID last week, the message is clear – anyone who has been invited for a flu vaccine but yet to take it up, should come forward now.’