We hear a lot in the media about flu lately. That’s partly because evidence shows that coinfection with influenza and COVID-19 produces bad outcomes.

You could be more than twice as likely to die than someone with the coronavirus alone (source: https://www.bmj.com/content/370/bmj.m3720)">https://www.bmj.com/content/3...

There’s also concern about a flu outbreak occurring at the same time as we’re dealing with coronavirus, which could add more pressure to the NHS. The 2019/20 flu season was relatively mild, with low levels of activity recorded.

However, 2017/18 saw high levels of activity...

...And *significant* excess all-cause mortality. Indeed the 2017/18 winter saw 50,100 excess deaths in England and Wales, likely “due to the predominant strain of flu, the effectiveness of the influenza vaccine and below-average winter temperatures.” https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/excesswintermortalityinenglandandwales/2017to2018provisionaland2016to2017final">https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepop...

To avoid a crisis in hospitals this winter it’s clearly important to keep influenza transmission low whilst COVID-19 is still circulating. This is why most people in England, about 30 million, have been offered a free flu vaccine this year: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-53515078">https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/heal...

Cases, hospitalisations and reported deaths with COVID-19 have been increasing fairly steadily since early September. But influenza activity tends to occur later in winter, and peak between December and February.

Source: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/895233/Surveillance_Influenza_and_other_respiratory_viruses_in_the_UK_2019_to_2020_FINAL.pdf">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/governmen...

According to this @BBCNews article, experts say this year’s flu vaccine is a good match for the strain that will be circulating: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-54233515

Let’s">https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/heal... hope this is the case and that all those vulnerable receive it. And flu numbers are kept as low as possible this winter.