Most individuals in England to be provided flu vaccine

Most individuals in England, about 30 million, are to be provided a free flu vaccine this yr, the federal government says.

It’s to organize for a winter that would see the annual flu season coincide with a surge in coronavirus.

The normal flu programme will embody all over-50s for the primary time, as effectively anybody on the shielding checklist and the folks they stay with.

Additionally for the primary time, kids of their first yr of secondary faculty will all be provided the vaccine.

Plans for Scotland, Wales and Northern Eire haven’t but been introduced.

How dangerous will flu and coronavirus be?

Flu, which may be lethal or want hospital therapy, poses further threats through the pandemic:

• There’s some proof a double an infection with coronavirus and flu is extra lethal than both alone
• A giant flu season mixed with coronavirus might overwhelm hospitals
• If numerous NHS or care-home workers are sick with flu, then it might not be attainable to reply to Covid-19 in the identical manner as through the peak in spring.

However it’s unattainable to foretell how massive a flu season we can have.

Australia, which is at present in its winter, is both having a really delicate or very late flu season.

Social-distancing and hygiene measures in place to cease coronavirus ought to, in concept, additionally have an effect on the quantity of flu going round.

It is usually unsure how dangerous coronavirus shall be, though an increase in circumstances from the autumn onwards is seen as believable by well being officers.

Who shall be provided the flu vaccine?

• individuals who have been required to protect from coronavirus and anybody they stay with
• folks with some medical situations together with diabetes, coronary heart failure and bronchial asthma
• pregnant ladies
• pre-school kids over the age of two
• all major faculty kids, as final yr, and, for the primary time, Yr 7 pupils
• initially all folks over 65, earlier than the programme is prolonged to the over-50s

The federal government needs to make sure the best danger sufferers are on the entrance of the queue when the immunisation programme begins in September.

These aged 50-64 shall be provided the jab later, with the complete particulars nonetheless to be introduced.

Dr William Fowl, co-author of a report commissioned by the federal government and printed this month, instructed BBC Breakfast that providing the flu jab to extra folks was “precisely the fitting transfer” however “the large drawback” can be logistics.

He mentioned flu clinics have been already run like a “army operation” with folks “bunched collectively” – and social distancing would complicate issues.

“I believe there’s going to be an actual pressure on the precise manufacturing. Hopefully the federal government has procured additional flu vaccine already, as a result of in the intervening time it appears to be like like there is a wrestle to get the present ones in place,” he mentioned.

He added: “I believe there’s going to be a giant surge of people who find themselves eligible, which is nice, however it’s simply whether or not there’s going to be sufficient vaccine round to have the ability to provide everybody that is needing it.”

Final winter, 25 million folks in England have been provided the flu vaccine.

Well being Secretary Matt Hancock mentioned: “This would be the largest flu vaccination programme in historical past and can assist defend our NHS as we head into winter.

“If you’re eligible for a free vaccine, whether or not it is for the primary time or since you normally obtain one, then I’d urge you to get it, not simply to guard your self however to guard the NHS and your family members from flu.”

Plans are additionally being put collectively for guaranteeing coronavirus doesn’t disrupt vaccination by, for instance, inflicting faculties, which ship the childhood programme, to close.

Prof Chris Whitty, the chief medical advisor, mentioned: “This winter greater than ever, with Covid-19 nonetheless circulating, we have to assist cut back all avoidable dangers.

“Vaccinating extra folks will assist cut back flu transmission and cease folks turning into ailing.”

Kids are “super-spreaders” of the flu virus.

However the growth of the childhood programme had not been anticipated earlier than the pandemic.

The plan had been to evaluate the influence of vaccinating all major faculty kids, achieved for the primary time final yr, earlier than deciding what to do subsequent.

In the meantime, there shall be a renewed push to steer well being and care employees to have the vaccine.

Final yr, 74% of workers have been immunised.

Paulette Hamilton, from the Native Authorities Affiliation, mentioned: “Extending the free winter flu jab to as many individuals as attainable is important if we’re to deal with two doubtlessly lethal viruses head-on and stop one seasonable and predictable virus creating the situations for a second, extra critical and unpredictable lethal second wave of Covid-19.

“It’s completely crucial that every one our well being and care employees get themselves vaccinated, to guard each themselves and the folks they give the impression of being after, together with our aged and most weak, from a doubtlessly devastating second wave of infections.”

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