The NHS has issued an urgent appeal to Londoners to get vaccinated against flu, as more people with flu have been admitted to the capital’s hospitals than at any point last year.
Time to be vaccinated: flu jabs can be arranged at some pharmacies and via your GP surgery
While nationally the NHS has around 100,000 beds, occupancy levels were well above what is considered safe going into winter. So a bad outbreak is enough to tip many hospitals into crisis mode. According to the BBC, around 20 NHS trusts have declared a critical incident this week.
Today, NHS London released figures that show that the number of people vaccinated in the capital this year is lower than hoped, while the number of admissions is higher than expected.
“Throughout December, the number of people admitted to a hospital bed with flu across London steadily increased. Flu admissions are expected to continue to rise as people start to mix at school and work following the Christmas and New Year break,” NHS London said today.
It’s not too late: NHS London chief nurse Karen Bonner
NHS London chief nurse Karen Bonner said: “We are expecting the number of people with flu to rise as temperatures remain below freezing over the next couple of days, so we are encouraging as many people as possible to get vaccinated.
“The health service faces increased pressure in the winter months, – getting vaccinated not only gives you vital protection against flu, but also helps the NHS to maintain capacity to be available for those who need it most.”
Flu vaccine take-up in London has been lower than the national average, with around 1.9million people taking up the vaccine. There are around 600 people in hospital with flu in London, roughly 20% more than last year’s peak.
Across the country, 5,500 patients are in hospital with flu, with NHS England bosses saying the numbers are rising at a concerning rate.
The biggest factor is undoubtedly that the strain of flu circulating this year is causing pretty severe illness. The dominant strain varies from year to year. This winter H1N1 – a strain has been associated with bad outbreaks in the past – is causing the most illness.
“Getting the flu vaccine is the most effective way for someone to reduce their risk of becoming seriously ill with flu,” the NHS says.
People can get vaccinated by visiting a pharmacy offering the flu jab or contacting their GP surgery to book an appointment.
People are encouraged to continue to use NHS 111 and 111 online for advice and support for health conditions, and call 999 or attend A&E in life-threatening emergencies.
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