Flu: Why we still need to worry about it this winter
Flu: Why we still need to worry about it this winter
(1 day later)
Health officials are ramping up efforts to ensure everyone who needs a flu vaccine has one.
Health officials are trying to make sure everyone who needs a flu vaccine this autumn gets one.
The UK's largest flu-immunisation programme so far will see 30 million people offered the vaccine.
Thirty million people will be offered the vaccine - the UK's largest flu-immunisation programme to date.
The idea is to prepare for a winter that could see the annual flu season coincide with a surge in coronavirus.
The fear is the annual flu season will coincide with a coronavirus surge.
But how will it work? And will things be worse this year?
Is flu that bad?
How bad is flu?
Flu - or influenza - is a very common, highly infectious disease, caused by a virus.
The flu - or influenza - is a very common, highly infectious disease, caused by a virus.
It can be deadly - particularly for older adults, very young children and people with underlying health conditions.
It can be dangerous - particularly for older adults, very young children, and people with underlying health conditions.
The average number of estimated deaths in England for the past five annual flu seasons is more than 11,000 - but there have been big variations each winter.
The average number of estimated deaths in England for the past five annual flu seasons is more than 11,000.
There were more than 22,000 estimated deaths in the 2017-18 season, but just short of 4,000 deaths in 2018-19.
This ranges from almost 4,000 deaths in the season spanning 2018-19 to more than 22,000 in 2017-18.
Can you get flu and coronavirus together?
The problem is certain groups of people, such as older people, pregnant women and people with long-term conditions are at high risk of becoming seriously ill from both coronavirus and flu.
Theoretically yes, it is possible.
And while many healthy people can fight off the flu, sometimes things are more complicated.
There's some evidence that a double infection - of Covid-19 and flu together - could be more deadly than getting a single virus.
The most common complication is a bacterial chest infection, which can develop into pneumonia.
But there's also a school of thought - yet to be proven in the case of coronavirus and flu - that having one virus could potentially help prevent a second from entering the body at the same time.
What is clear is that a big flu season combined with coronavirus could overwhelm hospitals - especially if lots of NHS or care-home staff are off sick with flu.
Who should take extra care and why?
The worry is that certain groups of people - the elderly, pregnant women and those with long-term health conditions - are at high risk of becoming seriously ill from both coronavirus and flu.
And while many healthy people can fight off the flu, there can be complications - most commonly a bacterial chest infection, which can develop into pneumonia.
Other life-threatening complications include meningitis and septic shock.
Other life-threatening complications include meningitis and septic shock.
How bad are flu and coronavirus together?
There is some evidence a double infection with coronavirus and flu is more deadly than either alone.
But others believe being infected with one virus could potentially help prevent another virus from making someone ill at the same time. This hasn't been proven in this case.
What is clear is a big flu season combined with coronavirus could overwhelm hospitals.
For example, if lots of NHS or care-home staff are sick with flu, it may not be possible to respond to Covid-19 in the same way as during the peak in spring.
But social distancing, masks and other hygiene measures in place to stop coronavirus should, in theory, also have an impact on the amount of flu going around.
Experts say these measures may have helped in countries like Australia where the flu season has been milder than expected this year.
Could things actually be better this year?
Could things actually be better this year?
Other countries in the southern hemisphere, including South Africa, have also reported lower levels of flu than expected at this time of year.
Some countries in the southern hemisphere including South Africa and Australia - both nearing the end of their flu seasons - have reported lower levels of the illness than expected.
Scientists say this could be partly because lockdown measures and extra hand-washing all work to reduce the spread of flu too.
This could be partly because coronavirus lockdown measures - social distancing, masks and extra hand-washing - have also helped reduced the spread of flu.
While this is encouraging, the World Health Organization points out there needs to be a degree of caution when interpreting the trends.
But doctors say there's no guarantee the UK flu season will follow the same trend, particularly as lockdowns ease, and are urging people to be vaccinated.
In some countries reduced staffing levels during the pandemic could mean cases of flu are not recorded in the same way as before, for example.
The World Health Organization (WHO) also warns of caution when interpreting trends.
We don't know yet how the flu season will pan out in the UK.
In some countries, for example, reduced staffing levels during the Covid-19 pandemic could mean flu cases are not recorded in the same way as before.
Schools will soon be back in full-force and primary school aged children can be super-spreaders of flu.
Do I have flu or coronavirus?
And national lockdown measures have eased since the height of the pandemic.
Many of the symptoms are similar for both viruses:
That is why officials will be urging people to get their flu vaccines if they can.
Some people may also experience muscle aches, a headache, and possibly diarrhoea or vomiting.
How do you know if you have flu or coronavirus?
And if you add in other common winter viruses it can be hard to be sure what is making someone ill.
Both flu and coronavirus can cause a fever, cough, tiredness, muscle aches and headaches.
Remember, both flu and coronavirus can also be spread before people have any symptoms - or by people who don't get symptoms at all.
Some people - mostly children - have other symptoms such as diarrhoea and vomiting.
Who can have a flu vaccine?
Some of these symptoms are also seen when people are ill with other common winter viruses.
In England, from September, it will be offered free to:
And both flu and coronavirus can be spread before people have any symptoms or by people who do not get symptoms at all.
Health officials in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales are planning to cover similar groups.
This could make things difficult this winter.
Doctors also want to increase vaccination levels in the most deprived areas and among people from ethnic minorities.
And that is why the flu vaccine is being offered more widely and testing and tracing facilities for coronavirus are increasing.
Many pharmacies will also offer the jab privately for about £20.
Who will be offered the flu vaccine?
But I'm worried about going to my local GP surgery?
In England, it will be offered free to:
Because of the pandemic, health staff are being urged to:
Health officials in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales are planning to expand their vaccination programmes to cover similar groups.
Pregnant women may be offered jabs during antenatal appointments.
The NHS wants to ensure the highest-risk patients are at the front of the queue when the immunisation programme starts, in September.
The aim is for people aged 50-64 to be offered the jab later, in November or December, if there are enough supplies.
Officials also say it is essential to increase vaccination levels among people in the most deprived areas and for people belonging to ethnic minorities at high risk of both Covid-19 and flu .
The vaccine will also be available privately in pharmacies and some supermarkets to adults ineligible for an NHS jab.
It usually costs about £20.
Will it be harder to get the vaccine this year?
Doctors and nurses are being asked to put new measures in place to allow the vaccine to be given safely during the pandemic.
This will include careful appointment times to minimise waiting.
Extra staff may be brought in to help.
Some GP surgeries may ask people to use their cars as waiting rooms.
Others will consider drive-through clinics.
For the most vulnerable, there are suggestions nurses could visit them at home.
And some pregnant women may be offered jabs during antenatal appointments.
Meanwhile, people isolating because they or someone they have been in contact with have coronavirus will be asked to postpone their vaccinations until they are better.
Are there enough supplies?
Are there enough supplies?
The Department of Health and Social Care says it has additional national supply of the adult vaccine to ensure demand does not outstrip supply.
The Department of Health and Social Care says it has ordered additional quantities of the adult vaccine to ensure demand does not outstrip supply.
Is it the right vaccine?
Will the flu vaccine work?
Every year, the World Health Organization studies circulating flu strains to make recommendations for the next season's vaccines.
Every year, the WHO looks at the current circulating flu strains before recommending what the next set of vaccines should contain.
This can only ever be a prediction, as vaccines have to be made in advance - often six months before the virus starts circulating in a country.
But because the vaccines often have to be made six months in advance, they can only ever be a prediction.
While experts agree this is not always 100% accurate, they say it is better to be vaccinated against some strains of flu than none at all - particularly during a pandemic.
Experts say it's better to be vaccinated against some strains of flu than none at all - particularly during a pandemic.
