Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Now get jabbed for the winter flu bug..
THE NHS has launched a mission to defend Britain against flu this winter as modelling suggests it could claim up to 60,000 lives.
Prof Jonathan Van-tam today issues a rallying cry to the nation to “defend ourselves” with jabs as there is such little natural immunity against flu.
The Government is planning for the reasonable worst-case scenario for the first winter of many where Covid-19 and flu are “co-circulating”.
An expanded flu vaccination programme will mean 35million people being offered free jabs.
For the first time, those eligible for them will include all secondary school pupils up to Year 11 aged 15 and 16. People aged 50 to 64 will be able to get them this winter after they became eligible for the first time last year.
The newly formed UK
Health Security Agency cited modelling from the
Academy of Medical
Sciences which predicts between 15,000 and
60,000 flu deaths this winter.
It said a widespread flu vaccination drive could help reduce the risk.
Prof Van-tam, England’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer, said: “Not many people got flu last year because of Covid-19 restrictions, so there isn’t as much natural immunity in our communities as usual.
“We need to take this seriously and defend ourselves and the NHS by getting the annual flu jab and the Covid-19 booster when called. Both these viruses are serious. They can both spread easily, cause hospitalisation and they can both be fatal. “It is really important that people get their vaccines as soon as they can.”
The flu deaths modelling for this winter compares to an average annual flu death toll of 11,000. Around 30 million Britons are being invited for Covid-19 booster shots.
The AMS report brought together 29 experts at the
request of Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance.