A mum has urged people to get a flu jab ahead of the winter season after her daughter was hospitalised with the virus. Maryam Sheiakh, from Manchester, watched helplessly as four-year-old Saffy struggled to breathe and needed oxygen after being admitted to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital with a severe cough and high temperature.
She said: “I was seriously concerned we might lose Saffy. I honestly thought she might die from this. I was so distraught watching her struggling to breathe day after day, worried about her breathing difficulties and getting oxygen to the brain – would she be the same little girl before she got ill? “.
Thankfully, Saffy made a full recovery thanks to the efforts of NHS staff and is now a thriving six-year-old. But Maryam, a nursery teacher, is now urging all parents to vaccinate their children against the flu.
She added: “Just go and get it, don’t take the risk. No parent wants to watch their child suffer like we did with Saffy,” reports Surrey Live.
Maryam was speaking as new data reveals that over the past two winters – defined as October to May – at least 18,000 deaths were linked to the flu. The UKHSA, Department for Health and Social Care and NHS have teamed up to launch the Get Winter Strong campaign.
They highlighted that while pandemic restrictions and changes in social behaviour led to a significant drop in flu levels for a few years, the latest mortality figures serve as “a stark reminder that flu is a deadly virus, particularly for older people and other groups at greatest risk”. They expressed “of real concern” over the decline in flu vaccine uptake rates last winter across all eligible groups in England compared to the previous year.
In launching the campaign, they noted that while uptake among older people remained high last year, only four in 10 (41%) individuals with long-term health conditions, just over four in 10 (44%) two and three-year-olds, and just one in three pregnant women received the flu vaccine. They pointed out that evidence demonstrated “the significant impact from last year’s flu vaccine with a 30% reduction in the number of those aged 65 and over being hospitalised and a 74% reduction in those between two and 17 years of age”.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), in conjunction with the Department for Health and Social Care and NHS England, are poised to initiate a heftier Get Winter Strong campaign on October 7, aiming to mitigate the toll of winter viruses among those most vulnerable and relieve NHS winter workload. They disclosed that over the last two winters, an estimated 19,500 deaths were linked to COVID-19.
This year’s campaign is set to resonate with high-risk groups, encouraging them to accept flu and COVID-19 jabs upon invitation. It will also promote RSV and whooping cough vaccines for expecting mothers,
Last festive season recorded a worrying surge in hospital admissions due to a spike in flu cases leading up to Christmas and by end-January. The upcoming drive also marks a milestone with RSV vaccines being made available to pregnant individuals and those between 75 and 79 for the first time with the maternal shot expected to offer newborns robust protection during their initial months, when they’re highly susceptible to serious RSV-related ailments.
Dr Gayatri Amirthalingam, Deputy Director for Immunisation at the UKHSA, warned: “As winter approaches we see many dangerous viruses circulating in our communities including flu, which can tragically kill thousands of people every year. Getting vaccinated ahead of winter is by far your best defence.”
“If you’re pregnant or have certain long-term health conditions you are at greater risk of getting seriously ill. Older people and young infants with flu are also much more likely to get hospitalised.”
“So if you or your child are offered the flu, COVID-19 or RSV vaccines, don’t delay in getting them. Please speak to your nurse or doctor if you have any concerns.”
Who can get the flu, COVID and RSV jabs and how to book
Millions of eligible folk in England can now book their flu and COVID-19 vaccines through the NHS as of last week, with appointments kicking off from October 3. For their RSV jab, pregnant women and older adults should speak with their maternity service or GP practice to arrange, as the NHS rolls out extra protection for those most at risk ahead of winter.
Anyone who’s eligible can book their COVID-19 and flu jabs via the NHS website, by downloading the NHS App, or by giving a free call to 119 if they can’t get online. Based on the latest scientific evidence, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has recommended the following be eligible:
- adults aged 65 and over, residents in older adult care homes and those with long-term health conditions aged 6 months to 64 years will be eligible for flu and COVID-19 vaccinations
- Pregnant women are also eligible for COVID-19 and flu vaccines
- The flu vaccine is also offered to 2-and-3 year olds and school children
The Government has also decided that, as in previous years, the COVID-19 and flu vaccines will be offered to frontline health and social care staff, with staff in older adult care homes being offered the COVID-19 vaccine. The RSV vaccine is recommended for:
- Pregnant women – the vaccine is recommended during every pregnancy (from 28 weeks onwards) to help protect your baby after they’re born
- If you’re aged 75 to 79 years
- If you turned 80 on or after September 1, 2024, you’re eligible for the RSV vaccine until August 31, 2025
Those who have already turned 80 before September 1, 2024, are not eligible. The RSV programme is offered to those most at risk when they need it. As we age our immune system does not work as well and that is why the RSV vaccine is not offered to those already 80 years of age or older.
Steve Russell, NHS National Director for Vaccinations and Screening, highlighted the critical nature of vaccinations, saying: “Today’s data showing there were almost 20,000 deaths associated to flu over the past two winters is a shocking reminder that this is a seriously dangerous virus and I urge those who are eligible to book their vaccine appointment as soon as they can as it is our best way of protecting those who are vulnerable as winter approaches.”
He also stressed the convenience of getting vaccinated: “Thanks to the hard work of our NHS staff, life-saving flu, COVID-19 and RSV vaccines are being rolled out across the country in places that are as convenient as possible for people who need them. Flu and COVID-19 jab appointments are now available to book via the NHS website, the NHS App, or by calling 119 for free – making it as easy as possible for people to get vaccinated.”
Minister for Public Health and Prevention Andrew Gwynne echoed Russell’s appeal, urging people to safeguard themselves against these viruses: “I encourage everyone who is eligible to get their flu, COVID-19 and RSV vaccinations as soon as possible. They are without doubt the best way to protect yourself from these viruses that can cause serious harm.”
Every year the World Health Organisation decides which flu strains vaccines should target, with UKHSA contributing its expertise to these choices. Depending on predictions about which flu types might spread, vaccines are tailored for each season’s flu battle.
Regular renewals are crucial, as with shifting virus landscapes and waning immunity, annual jabs remain vitally important for those at risk. The Get Winter Strong campaign is set to run for a solid 10 weeks, making appearances on broadcast TV, on-demand and community TV, radio channels, outdoor poster sites across England, and various social media platforms.