Doctors' warning over winter flu and Covid spike - see who's eligible for jabs

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Millions of people are being urged to have flu and Covid vaccines after experts said they were increasingly worried about a bad flu spike this winter.

Anyone eligible should get their jabs to ease the spike, officials at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) warned. They said there will be lower levels of natural immunity compared to previous years as people socialised less during the pandemic.

One expert said they were more worried about flu this year than they had been for several years. The UKHSA warned of a possible “difficult winter” ahead as respiratory viruses, including flu and Covid, circulate widely.

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International surveillance shows the UK can expect the spread of H3N2 (a subtype of influenza type A), which is currently the most commonly detected flu virus worldwide. H3N2 has recently caused waves of infection in countries including Australia, which has just had its winter.

The vaccine used by the UK is designed to fight this strain. In 2017/2018, the H3N2 flu strain led to a severe UK flu season, with around 20,000 deaths and 40,000 hospital admissions.

It did circulate in the UK last winter but less mixing due to Covid-19 means there is little immunity to it. Under plans announced on Wednesday, around 33 million people in England will be eligible for a free flu vaccine this year, including all primary-age and some secondary-age children, who will be offered the nasal spray.

Around 26 million people in England are also eligible for the autumn Covid-19 booster vaccine. People who qualify for both jabs could be offered the flu and Covid jab at the same time if supply allows, though