Flu jabs urged as south of England surge ‘is behind rest of UK’

The flu surge in the south of England is behind the rest of the country, leaving time for people to get vaccinated, a senior doctor has said.

The first week of December saw an average of 100 patients a day in hospital with flu across the whole of Berkshire, Dorset, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and Oxfordshire, according to NHS data – fewer than in cities such as Birmingham or Manchester.

Dr Julian Sutton from University Hospitals Southampton said it was still worth seeking a flu jab, while the NHS in south-west England said now was the “last chance” to get protected before Christmas.

However, a BBC survey found very few vaccination appointments were available in the region.

NHS figures for England, released on Thursday, showed hospitalisations for flu were at a record level for the time of year and jumped by 55% in a week.

However, the peak of the “super flu” outbreak had not yet arrived, NHS national medical director Prof Meghana Pandit warned.

Dr Sutton said: “In the south here, especially in Hampshire and around Southampton, we are a little bit behind the rest of the country in terms of the flu surge, so it’s still very much well worth getting your flu jab now.

“It’s definitely not too late and it offers really good protection from getting properly unwell and needing to be admitted to hospital.”

However, the BBC found very few bookable vaccination appointments on major pharmacies’ websites.

Many branches showed no availability, while the first at Boots in Dorchester was on 2 February.

Pharmacies in Oxford and Winchester were among those still taking bookings before Christmas.

Berkshire pharmacy manager Olivier Picard said demand for jabs was unprecedented in his experience.

Mr Picard, who chairs the National Pharmacy Association, said he was accepting walk-in patients who had been turned away elsewhere.

Groups representing pharmacies said most had stocks of vaccine, which are offered free to some patients and cost about £20 privately.

Caroline Reid, in charge of vaccinations for the NHS in south-east England, said:  “By getting your flu jab this week or next, you’ll be protected in time for the festive season as the vaccine only takes two weeks to become fully effective.”

Dr Alasdair Wood, from the south-west region of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said: “This is your last chance to flu-proof your festivities before Christmas.”

Staff, patients and visitors in some hospitals in the south have been asked to wear face masks to reduce the spread of the disease.

They include Queen Alexandra in Portsmouth, Poole, Royal Bournemouth and Wexham Park hospitals.

Other hospitals, such as Dorset County and St Mary’s on the Isle of Wight reported very few flu cases in the first week of December.

The predominant strain of flu this winter, the drifted H3N2 strain, means there is “less natural immunity in the community”, the UKHSA said.

It said the strain typically affected older adults more severely than H1N1 strains.

However children and young people aged five to 14 have the highest positive test rates for flu in England.

Health authorities have urged patients with flu symptoms not to attend hospital, except in the most serious circumstances such as shortness of breath.

Dr Sutton said the disease could be treated with rest, paracetamol and good hydration, and should improve within three or four days.