People should stay home over the Christmas period if they have symptoms of flu or Covid, experts have warned, amid fears that flu cases could see a second surge in the New Year. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) noted that flu levels appear to be plateauing, but it is too soon to say whether they have peaked.
NHS England reported an average of 3,140 people in hospital with flu each day by the end of last week, an 18% increase from the previous week and significantly higher than the 2,629 patients at the same time last year. While flu cases have slowed in some regions, such as a 4% drop in the north-west, they continue to rise elsewhere, with increases of 39% in the east of England and 40% in the south-west.
Prof Meghana Pandit, NHS England national medical director, warned that the NHS is “nowhere near out of the woods yet”, citing the combined impact of winter viruses and ongoing strikes by resident doctors. Critical care beds were occupied by 128 flu patients last week, up from 106 the previous week. Additionally, an average of 427 beds were filled daily by patients with norovirus-like symptoms, a 21% increase.
Dr Alex Allen, a consultant epidemiologist at the UKHSA, urged the public to take sensible steps over the festive period, noting that flu “can bounce back and peak a second time in the new year”. Health Secretary Wes Streeting echoed the call for people to get vaccinated, while criticising the British Medical Association’s strike action as putting additional pressure on the NHS.
