Lib Dems call for vaccinations in churches and pubs to tackle “flu emergency” as hospitalisations rise by 55% in one week
The Liberal Democrats have called for an emergency flu vaccination scheme to be rolled out in community venues across England, with outreach programmes to tackle disinformation.
The scheme would see flu jabs offered in village halls, supermarkets, churches and social clubs, along with dedicated roaming “jab vans”.
The campaign comes as Lib Dem analysis shows that rates of flu vaccination among over 65s fell in every local authority in the country between 2023-4 and 2024-5.
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Nicole Wootton-Cane11 December 2025 11:30
NHS in grip of ‘unprecedented wave of super flu’, health boss says
An NHS chief has warned flu rates will continue to climb, with “no peak in sight yet”.
Professor Meghana Pandit, NHS national medical director, said the “unprecedented wave of super flu is leaving the NHS facing a worst-case scenario for this time of year”.
“With record demand for A&E and ambulances and an impending resident doctors strike, this unprecedented wave of super flu is leaving the NHS facing a worst-case scenario for this time of year – with staff being pushed to the limit to keep providing the best possible care for patients,” she said.
“The number of patients in the hospital with flu is extremely high for this time of year.
“Even worse, it continues to rise, and the peak is not in sight yet, so the NHS faces an extremely challenging few weeks ahead.”
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Nicole Wootton-Cane11 December 2025 11:15
Should I get a flu jab this winter to fight off H3N2 ‘super flu’?
The H3N2 strain of the influenza virus seems to be hitting harder and lasting for longer than expected.
Doctors have said the best protection against the flu is the vaccine, which is freely available to certain groups.
Want to know more about the vaccine? Albert Toth has more below:
Nicole Wootton-Cane11 December 2025 11:00
NHS facing ‘worst case scenario’
Soaring flu rates have plunged the NHS into a “worst-case scenario” as it faces a week of doctors’ strikes, with the NHS’s most senior clinicians warning infections are yet to reach their peak.
Professor Meghana Pandit, NHS national medical director, said the peak “is not in sight yet”, adding the NHS faces an extremely challenging few weeks ahead.”
The Independent’s health correspondent Rebecca Thomas has more below:
Nicole Wootton-Cane11 December 2025 10:45
Top doctor issues stark warning about risks of mutant flu strain for children as hospital admissions surge
The Independent’s health correspondent Rebecca Thomas has more below:
Nicole Wootton-Cane11 December 2025 10:35
Streeting makes last-ditch offer in bid to avert strikes amid super flu surge
Wes Streeting has made a last-ditch attempt to halt planned strikes by resident doctors next week by offering medics a new deal.
The health secretary has offered doctors an expansion of specialist training opportunities – but notably has refused to budge on pay.
He urged doctors to take the deal, saying a resident doctors’ strike over Christmas would have a “much different degree of risk” than previous walkouts and that he “cannot think of a single other trade union in this country that would behave this way”.
But BMA fellow deputy chairman Dr Shivam Sharma has cast doubt on the offer, saying he finds it “difficult to see members accepting” it, describing it as a “mixed bag”.
Members will now have until 15 December to vote on the revised terms.
Nicole Wootton-Cane11 December 2025 10:25
What is the H3N2 flu strain?
The strain behind the UK’s surge in “super flu” cases is H3N2 – a mutation that is currently the most dominant.
But what is H3N2, and how can you spot the symptoms? You can read more below:
Nicole Wootton-Cane11 December 2025 10:19
Flu hospitalisations jump by 55 per cent in one week, new figures show
The number of people in hospital in England with a new “super flu” has jumped by 55 per cent in just one week, according to new NHS figures.
An average of 2,660 flu patients were in hospital each day last week, up from 1,717 the previous week.
At this point last year the number stood at 1,861 patients, while in 2023 it was just 402.
Weekly flu numbers in England peaked at 5,408 patients last winter and reached 5,441 over the winter of 2022/23, the highest level since the pandemic.
Nicole Wootton-Cane11 December 2025 10:16
