Bookings for flu and COVID-19 vaccinations through the NHS national booking system in England more than doubled in a day, NHS England said, after the service warned on Wednesday 11 December of a sharp rise in seasonal viruses affecting hospitals. NHS England reported on Friday 13 December that appointments booked through the NHS App, the NHS website or the national call centre rose from 9,452 on Wednesday to 21,144 on Thursday, an increase of 124%1.
NHS England said bookings reached their highest daily total of the month, with an average of one booking every four seconds. It added that patients can also book directly with their local GP practice, so the actual number of bookings made on Thursday is likely to be significantly higher1.
The warning that preceded the surge set out the pressure on hospitals. NHS England said a sharp rise in infections led to a 70% increase in hospital cases across just seven days. An average of 1,861 patients with flu were in hospital every day last week, up from 1,099 in the previous week and three and a half times higher than the same time last year1.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, said:
"We're pleased to have seen bookings for flu and COVID-19 jabs surge by 124% following worrying figures published yesterday about a tidal wave of seasonal viruses affecting hospitals."
He added that the NHS has plans in place to manage additional demand over winter, but that a sharp increase in flu and COVID-19 patients needing hospital care will cause significant challenges, and that thousands more people still need to come forward1.
NHS England said eligible people have until the end of the day on Thursday 19 December to book COVID-19 and flu vaccination appointments on the NHS App, the NHS website or by calling 119. It said it is still possible to book after that date through local NHS vaccination services such as pharmacies or walk-in sites, but there will be fewer COVID-19 appointments and people may need to travel further1.
For the first time, NHS England is also offering the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine to pregnant women from 28 weeks and to older adults aged 75 to 79. Pregnant women are encouraged to book via their maternity service or GP practice, and older adults should wait to be invited by the NHS1.
In line with advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, NHS England listed those currently eligible for a flu vaccine this year1:
| Eligible groups for a flu vaccine (2024 to 2025) |
|---|
| Pregnant women |
| All children aged 2 or 3 years on 31 August 2024 |
| Primary school aged children (reception to year 6) |
| Secondary school aged children (year 7 to year 11) |
| All children in clinical risk groups aged from 6 months to under 18 years |
| Those aged 65 years and over |
| Those aged 18 to under 65 years in clinical risk groups |
| Those in long-stay residential care homes |
| Carers in receipt of carer's allowance, or the main carer of an elderly or disabled person |
| Close contacts of immunocompromised individuals |
| Frontline workers in a social care setting without an employer led occupational health scheme |
NHS England said the flu vaccine is usually given to children as a spray up the nose, without an injection, unless the child cannot have porcine gelatine in medical products, in which case an injected flu vaccine is available as an alternative. It said all NHS frontline health workers have also been offered the COVID-19 and flu vaccines1.
Why it matters for households
The figures cover England, and the booking deadline of Thursday 19 December applies to appointments made through the NHS national booking system. Households with members in the eligible groups above are affected, as are pregnant women from 28 weeks and adults aged 75 to 79 for the RSV vaccine. NHS England advises eligible people to get vaccinated without delay if they have not done so already, to avoid festive flu, and says flu season usually peaks in December and January1. It says the vaccine provides protection against serious illness and hospital admission during the busy winter months1. After 19 December, bookings remain possible through local services, with fewer COVID-19 appointments and potentially longer travel1. The guide to vaccines that protect against outbreaks sets out the flu, COVID-19 and measles vaccines, and the health emergencies hub covers wider planning for health incidents.
What happens next
The national booking system closes to COVID-19 and flu appointments at the end of the day on Thursday 19 December. Local NHS vaccination services, including pharmacies and walk-in sites, continue to take bookings after that date, with fewer COVID-19 appointments available1. Older adults aged 75 to 79 are to wait to be invited by the NHS for the RSV vaccine1.
Vaccines Against Outbreaks
