The NHS is preparing for its most severe winter crisis in the next fortnight as a 'flu-nami' of cases overwhelms hospitals, GP surgeries, and ambulance services. Data released by NHS England on Thursday shows an average of 2,660 people per day were hospitalised with flu last week, a 55% increase from the previous week and the highest ever recorded for early December. Of these, 106 patients were in intensive care, mostly with breathing difficulties.
Professor Meghana Pandit, NHS England's joint medical director, warned that the situation is worsening. 'The number of patients in hospital with flu is extremely high for this time of year. Even worse, it continues to rise and the peak is not in sight yet,' she said. The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and Covid are also adding to the pressure, with a mutated and highly virulent flu strain threatening to 'engulf hospitals'.
The crisis is compounded by a planned five-day strike by resident doctors in England starting next Wednesday. Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Prime Minister Keir Starmer have criticised the British Medical Association for the walkout, which NHS England chief executive Sir Jim Mackey called 'cruel' and 'calculated' to cause mayhem. The strike may be called off if enough doctors endorse a new pay offer.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has urged people to get vaccinated, noting that the flu vaccine is effective against severe disease. However, uptake among at-risk groups remains low: only 37.4% of under-65s with long-term conditions, 35.6% of pregnant women, and 41.5% of children aged two or under have been vaccinated. In contrast, 71.7% of over-65s have received the jab.
Dr Conall Watson, a UKHSA consultant epidemiologist, said: 'There is still plenty of flu vaccine available to protect those who need it. What’s running out is time to be protected ahead of Christmas.' Experts recommend masking, social distancing, and checking on vulnerable relatives to reduce spread.
