UK Hospitals Prepare for Devastating Flu Season as Mutated Virus Spreads
The UK's National Health Service (NHS) is bracing for a potentially disastrous flu season, with health officials warning of a surge in hospital admissions that could rival the worst seasons on record. The culprit behind this impending crisis is a mutated strain of the flu virus, which scientists first detected in June and has since become the dominant strain in the country.
The new variant of the H3N2 subtype of influenza is expected to cause more severe illness than previous strains, particularly among older adults and those with underlying health conditions. With the virus spreading rapidly among younger people, experts fear that the elderly will be disproportionately affected as the disease spreads.
To prepare for this influx of patients, NHS managers are redoubling their efforts to vaccinate staff and communities, expanding same-day emergency care, and increasing treatment in the community to reduce hospital admissions. However, with resident doctors in England continuing a five-day strike over pay, hospitals are having to scramble to bring in consultants and other staff for extra shifts and reschedule appointments.
Scientists warn that this season could be particularly severe if the new mutations in the dominant strain help it evade people's immune defenses. The mutated virus is thought to have a high transmissibility rate, with an estimated R value of 1.4 – meaning every 100 people with flu are expected to infect another 140.
"The new strain of flu is a worry on what was already predicted to be a big flu season," said Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK. "It's more important than ever that everyone who is eligible gets the flu vaccine and takes precautions to stay well this winter."
While some experts are warning of an impending disaster, others point out that it's not inevitable. In 2003-24, a similarly mutated strain caused severe flu seasons, but also led to relatively few deaths.
Health officials urge all who are eligible to take up the vaccine offer, and encourage others to consider paying for the shot and using lateral flow tests to check for flu infections. According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), less than a third of people with one or more long-term health conditions have come forward for the vaccine.
As the flu season approaches, NHS hospitals are preparing for the worst – with some experts warning that this could be the most severe flu season in a decade. With the mutated virus spreading rapidly and older adults likely to be disproportionately affected, health officials are advising caution and urging everyone who is eligible to take action.
The UK's National Health Service (NHS) is bracing for a potentially disastrous flu season, with health officials warning of a surge in hospital admissions that could rival the worst seasons on record. The culprit behind this impending crisis is a mutated strain of the flu virus, which scientists first detected in June and has since become the dominant strain in the country.
The new variant of the H3N2 subtype of influenza is expected to cause more severe illness than previous strains, particularly among older adults and those with underlying health conditions. With the virus spreading rapidly among younger people, experts fear that the elderly will be disproportionately affected as the disease spreads.
To prepare for this influx of patients, NHS managers are redoubling their efforts to vaccinate staff and communities, expanding same-day emergency care, and increasing treatment in the community to reduce hospital admissions. However, with resident doctors in England continuing a five-day strike over pay, hospitals are having to scramble to bring in consultants and other staff for extra shifts and reschedule appointments.
Scientists warn that this season could be particularly severe if the new mutations in the dominant strain help it evade people's immune defenses. The mutated virus is thought to have a high transmissibility rate, with an estimated R value of 1.4 – meaning every 100 people with flu are expected to infect another 140.
"The new strain of flu is a worry on what was already predicted to be a big flu season," said Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK. "It's more important than ever that everyone who is eligible gets the flu vaccine and takes precautions to stay well this winter."
While some experts are warning of an impending disaster, others point out that it's not inevitable. In 2003-24, a similarly mutated strain caused severe flu seasons, but also led to relatively few deaths.
Health officials urge all who are eligible to take up the vaccine offer, and encourage others to consider paying for the shot and using lateral flow tests to check for flu infections. According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), less than a third of people with one or more long-term health conditions have come forward for the vaccine.
As the flu season approaches, NHS hospitals are preparing for the worst – with some experts warning that this could be the most severe flu season in a decade. With the mutated virus spreading rapidly and older adults likely to be disproportionately affected, health officials are advising caution and urging everyone who is eligible to take action.
of course, another flu season to look forward to... like we haven't seen this before... and let's not forget about the ones that don't make it because they're too old or have health conditions... 
on the bright side, I guess some people will get to enjoy their beds for a few weeks with a bad case of the flu... 
just what the doctor ordered. I mean, who doesn't love being stuck in bed with a fever and a throat that feels like sandpaper? 
it's not like we have better things to do than get vaccinated or practice good hygiene... 
I'm so worried about the NHS staff right now 
they're working tirelessly to prepare for this flu season and it's just not fair that they have to deal with a pay strike on top of everything else 
Can we please all get vaccinated already? 
. Let's all look out for each other, especially our older friends 
who might be more vulnerable to this strain 
Oh man, I'm already stressed thinking about this flu season 
It's bad enough with all the new mutant viruses spreading, but now you're telling me that older adults are gonna be disproportionately affected? 
That just makes my heart sink. Can we please just have a magic flu cure or something? 
I mean, I know vaccines and meds can help, but come on! We need to be prepared for this and take care of ourselves...and our loved ones 
I'm so worried about the upcoming flu season in the UK! The idea of all those hospitals getting overwhelmed with patients is just terrifying 
.
! But I guess experts are right - if we all get vaccinated and take precautions, we can reduce the risk of hospital admissions.
. That's like, super concerning! We need to make sure everyone knows about the importance of flu vaccinations and take action ASAP 
.
. Fingers crossed that this season doesn't turn out as bad as everyone's predicting 
. And can we please pay more attention to those with long-term health conditions? We can't afford to lose any more lives 
I'm literally shakin just thinking about all those old ppl gettin sick 
like what if we dont prep enough? 
and with the strike and all that's goin on i fear for the NHS 
. what's next? will they be developing more 'super' vaccines to keep up with these strains? 
. Guess we'll have to wait and see how things play out this winter 
. Has anyone else been getting their flu shots in preparation? 
Source please.
It's not like it's going to be a walk in the park or anything...
it's so bad that hospitals in UK r getting ready for the worst!!! 
dont wanna be stuck in hospital w/ flu when ur old 
especially old ppl who cant recover from it as fast as we can 
lets all do our part & stay safe this winter 
I'm so sick of these flu seasons being predicted but never actually prepared for! Can't we just have a guaranteed vaccine offer and not have to shell out £20+ just to protect ourselves? 
it's not just about the NHS, it's about keeping our communities safe 