According to the Royal College of General Practitioners, the prevalence of flu in the community in England was about 95% lower in the winter of 2020-21 than is typically expected.
Such a terrific result can be attributed in no small part to a committed programme of prevention: the UK Government rolled out the largest flu vaccination programme in its history in 2021, with 35 million people offered the vaccine. This impressive campaign was implemented alongside the continuing preventative Covid-19 measures across the world which saw populations social distancing and wearing masks indoors, behaviours known to dampen the spread of all respiratory infections.
PREVENTING A TWINDEMIC
This year we may not be so lucky: NHS England has announced that it will be scaling down last year’s mammoth effort. For 2022/2023 flu jabs are only to be offered to patients in groups who were eligible for vaccination before the pandemic. At the same time, the government is ‘not expected’ to procure central stocks of vaccine. This is a huge step back from previous years, when the government effectively secured a stockpile of vaccines that GP practices can draw on if they experience shortages or delays to supplies.
Looking ahead to winter 2022/2023, there is every possibility that, now society has begun to return to “normal” and restrictions across the country are eased, the flu could return in full force amongst a population with weakened immunity.
Research has already been carried out into the potential effects of a ‘twindemic’, in which flu and Covid-19 circulate freely within the population together: a recent report found that Covid-19 patients infected with the flu were twice as likely to die as those who didn’t also have flu.
According to the latest NHS guidance, beating the flu in 2022 is a priority: ‘Seasonal flu vaccination remains an important public health intervention and a key priority for 2022/23 to reduce morbidity, mortality and hospitalisation associated with flu at a time when the NHS and social care will be managing winter pressures, potentially including further outbreaks of COVID-19.’
FUTUREPROOF THE HEALTH OF YOUR WORKFORCE
Many businesses are now looking to get ahead of the issue by offering their workforce a flu vaccination this autumn, to futureproof against staff illness through the winter months. It has been established that minor illnesses – which include coughs, colds and the flu – are the cause of over 25% of all staff absences at work. The impact of flu also costs employers money: research from the International Longevity Centre UK found that, amongst the over-50, flu cost around 159 million working days in 2018, the economic impact of which is equivalent to $39 billion (or £30 billion).
Employers can help to do their bit to lessen the threat posed by flu by offering vaccinations to their employees this autumn - and Citi Health can help to make the process simple and fuss-free.
** Find out more about Citi Health’s workplace Flu Vaccination service
** Arrange a workplace flu vaccination clinic with Citi Health
