‘Twindemic’ warning as health chiefs launch Covid and flu vaccination drive

Health chiefs have warned of a Covid and flu “twindemic” this winter as they launched a renewed vaccination drive.

Around 33 million people in England will be eligible for a free flu vaccination this year, while 26 million are also eligible for an autumn Covid-19 booster.

Officials at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) warned there will be lower levels of natural immunity to flu this year after the past few winters saw the public socialising less during restrictions.

The UKHSA warned of a possible "difficult winter" ahead as respiratory viruses, including flu and Covid, circulate widely as the public return to pre-pandemic levels of mixing.

One expert said they were more worried about flu than they had been for several years because of the reduction in population immunity.

There are also concerns patients may have vaccine fatigue and may choose to have one vaccine but not the other.

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Source: The Telegraph, 28 September 2022