NHS issues flu jab SOS with worst of winter only weeks away

The NHS has issued a flu jab alert as England’s leading nurse urged people to get vaccinated before the flu season reaches its peak in the coming weeks. Eligible adults are encouraged to book their appointments now to ensure full protection throughout the winter months.

To meet rising demand, the health service is opening 2.4 million additional vaccination slots next week — a capacity large enough to cover the entire populations of Greater Manchester or Botswana. Early vaccination is especially important this year, as flu infections have surged to triple last year’s levels, striking more than a month earlier than usual.

The warning comes after Australia experienced its largest flu season on record, which often signals a similar trend for England. As of this week, NHS teams nationwide have delivered over 13 million flu vaccines since the campaign began (13,299,775 in total).

Protection for care homes and children

Efforts to link vaccination services with care homes have ensured that 59.4% of residents are now protected. Mobile vaccination units and community pop-ups have also helped bring vaccines closer to where people live.

In addition, 2.3 million vaccines have been administered to eligible children, including 400,000 two- and three-year-olds — about one-third of toddlers eligible for the program.

“The NHS is calling on eligible adults to get their jab as soon as possible to stamp out the early wave of flu hitting the NHS more than a month earlier this year,” said England’s chief nurse.

Author’s Summary

The NHS urges immediate flu vaccinations as cases surge early, expanding access with millions of new slots and focusing on protecting high-risk groups before winter peaks.

Wired-Gov — 2025-11-06