Winter is here. The days are short, the air is cold, and flu started circulating around 5 weeks earlier than usual this season, with a flu virus called H3N2 causing most of the cases so far. The H3N2 virus that we are seeing is known as a ‘drifted’ virus, because the virus has picked up a few more changes over the summer months than we would usually expect to see. The good news is that early data has shown this season’s flu vaccines are providing good protection against severe disease (such as needing to go to hospital). The vaccines are working as well as we have seen in previous seasons.
I recently booked my flu jab at my local GP. It was quick and simple, and I am grateful to be able to help protect myself and my loved ones. I know many of you are busy just before Christmas, but I really encourage you to make time get vaccinated. It’s one of the best ways to help you, your friends, family and the people you care for stay well this winter.
You might have seen that Sarah McClinton and I wrote to colleagues across social care in September, urging people to get vaccinated. Claire Armstrong, our director for social care resilience, also wrote to colleagues a month ago stressing the importance of flu vaccine uptake, Last winter, flu led to around 8,000 deaths in England, but the flu vaccine helped prevent around 100,000 hospitalisations. That’s a powerful reminder of how effective vaccination can be.
Getting vaccinated is not just about helping to protect yourself. It is about helping to protect your colleagues, your family, and the people you care for every day. Catching flu can have a serious impact on those most vulnerable, and every year we see outbreaks of flu and other illnesses in care homes. Flu can cause serious illness and that’s why getting vaccinated matters.
Flu can be highly unpredictable, partly because there are 3 different types of flu virus that we can see each season. The vaccine can take up to 2 weeks to train your body to fight off flu, so you can still help to protect yourself against the types of flu that may circulate later in the winter. We often see a lot of flu in January and February.
As care workers, you also play a vital role in keeping people safe. It also helps reduce pressure on our health and social care services at a time of the year when we need them most.
And here’s something you might not know: up to 50% of flu infections show no symptoms. That means you could pass it on without even knowing. The vaccine helps stop that. It’s a simple step that can prevent a lot of harm.
Your part in helping to reduce avoidable admissions and, more importantly, helping those we care for avoid being infected is paramount. Our phenomenal professional carers not only undertake critical roles, they also have those trusted relationships across our communities and have an important role to play in infection prevention.
We have resources developed ahead of this flu season to help you and your teams encourage flu vaccination uptake. You can find them at https://campaignresources.dhsc.gov.uk/campaigns/vaccinations/health-and-social-care-worker-flu-vaccine/. Just register to get access to posters, updates, and more. The national flu campaign kicked off in October, so you may have seen this on TV, radio, and digital ads.
Please support your teams and your colleagues to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Help protect yourself and those you care for. If you’re a manager, make it easy for your staff to get their jab. If you’re a frontline worker, know that your actions matter. Every jab counts.
If you want more info, visit https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/flu-vaccine/ or email immunisation@ukhsa.gov.uk.
Thank you for everything you do. You’re the heart of social care, and we’re proud of you. Let’s keep each other safe this winter.
Leave a comment