Flu level rising as key groups snub vaccines

FLU levels are continuing to rise in England, amid warnings that vaccine take-up among young children and pregnant women remain below that in previous years.

Infection rates are estimated to be highest among five to 14-year-olds, with 18.5% of laboratory samples from this age group testing positive, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

Some 10.5% of samples from all age groups tested positive in the week to November 27, up from 8.5% the previous week.

Hospital admission rates are highest for children under five and adults aged 85 and over, at 6.9 per 100,000 people.

Overall levels of flu are still below where they were this point three years ago, in the pre-Covid winter of 2019/20.

But vaccine uptake among pregnant women currently stands at 29.3%, down five percentage points on this stage last year, and around three points lower than in 2020/21.