The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) is bracing itself for a “quad-demic” of health emergencies over winter, with hospital admissions driven by flu, Covid, norovirus, and RSV cases at record highs. The warning comes from NHS England’s national medical director, Prof Stephen Powis, who said the situation could worsen unless people take action to protect themselves with jabs.
Flu hospital cases have quadrupled compared to last year, with over 1,100 patients in beds each day in England. Covid cases are also on the rise, while norovirus and RSV numbers have increased significantly. The NHS is particularly concerned about young children and the elderly, who are vulnerable to severe outcomes from these viruses.
The number of ambulances waiting to hand over patients to A&E teams has also risen sharply, with 36% of arrivals waiting at least 30 minutes, while 16% were delayed by more than an hour. Health Secretary Wes Streeting said that an annual winter crisis had become “the norm” and vowed to deliver long-term reforms through a 10-year health plan.
Professor Powis urged the public to get vaccinated against flu, Covid, and RSV as soon as possible, citing the benefits of protecting themselves this winter. With a long winter ahead, the NHS is preparing for unprecedented pressure on its services.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/dec/05/warning-of-nhs-quad-demic-as-flu-and-covid-cases-rise-in-england