In a significant health boost this winter, NHS staff have administered almost a quarter of a million more flu vaccinations compared to the previous year.
Despite facing extreme pressures from one of the worst winters on record, the NHS has shown remarkable resilience in increasing flu vaccination efforts.
Throughout the country, services have been strained by the harsh winter, with an average of 5,408 patients hospitalised daily with flu during the first week of January. Despite these challenges, NHS staff have delivered an impressive 239,679 more vaccinations this winter compared to last year.
The full vaccination programme began in October, a month later than the previous year, based on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation's advice. This strategic timing aimed to offer the best possible protection. From 1 September 2024 to 5 January 2025, NHS staff delivered a total of 17,996,305 flu vaccinations, up from 17,756,626 during the same period last year.
Recent weeks have seen a 27% increase in flu vaccinations compared to last year, with an additional 85,000 jabs administered in the past three weeks alone.
The winter season has also seen a surge in Covid, RSV, and norovirus cases. Over 1,100 patients were hospitalized with Covid in the first week of January, alongside 626 norovirus patients – a near 50% increase from last year. There has also been a notable rise in RSV cases, with an average of 72 children hospitalised daily, up 47% from the previous year.
While the national vaccination booking system has closed, those eligible can still get vaccinated against flu, Covid-19, or RSV by visiting a COVID-19 walk-in vaccination site or finding a pharmacy offering the flu vaccine.
NHS National Medical Director, Professor Sir Stephen Powis, commented:
“As hospitals face a deluge of flu cases, NHS staff have once again stepped up the vaccination programme this year, protecting almost 18 million people against flu this season – 239,000 more people than last winter.
“The NHS is experiencing one of the busiest ever starts to the year, with hospitals full to the rafters with flu cases as well as dealing with the recent cold snap.
“The best way to fight the flu is to get vaccinated, and so I would urge those eligible to contact their GP or local pharmacy to get a flu jab as soon as possible.”
Ahead of winter, the NHS implemented several measures to handle the increased demand, including upgraded 24-hour coordination centres, support for frequent A&E users, strengthening same-day emergency care, and enhancing community care provisions.
In line with the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation's advice, the following groups are eligible for a flu vaccine this year:
- Pregnant women
- Children aged 2 or 3 years on 31 August 2024
- Primary and secondary school-aged children
- Children in clinical risk groups aged from 6 months to less than 18 years
- Those aged 65 years and over
- Individuals aged 18 to under 65 years in clinical risk groups
- Residents in long-stay care homes
- Carers and close contacts of immunocompromised individuals
- Frontline social care workers without an employer-led occupational health scheme
For those eligible, taking advantage of the available vaccination options is critical to protecting oneself and the wider community.
Image credit: iStock
