NHS issues flu jab SOS with worst of winter only weeks away
The NHS has issued an urgent call for people to get their flu vaccinations as winter approaches. England’s chief nurse has warned that protection should be secured now, with only a few weeks left before the flu season typically peaks.
Eligible adults are encouraged to get vaccinated as soon as possible to ensure full protection during the colder months. In response, the health service will open 2.4 million appointment slots next week — enough to vaccinate the population of either Greater Manchester or Botswana.
The NHS aims to curb an early wave of flu that has emerged more than a month ahead of schedule, with case numbers already three times higher than at the same point last year. The warning follows reports of Australia’s most severe flu season on record, often a sign of what the UK can expect.
“Three in five of all care home residents have now been protected against flu (59.4%),” the NHS confirmed.
Across the country, over 13.2 million flu vaccines have been administered since the rollout began. This includes 2.3 million doses for eligible children, among them 400,000 two- and three-year-olds — about one-third of all toddlers eligible for the jab. Vaccinations have also been delivered directly through care homes, mobile units, and community pop-ups to make access easier.
Author’s Summary
The NHS urges early flu vaccinations as infection rates rise sharply, opening millions of new appointments to strengthen public protection before winter’s peak.