Fed up of hearing about the flu

Some of it is to try and persuade the doctors not to strike, maybe if they keep saying how bad it is they think they will not strike.

I never needed your permission to do anything. The topic is flu and media coverage

Well you are a real cynic aren't you? I am sure the families and friends who were bereaved by Covid will disagree , but what do they know compared to you?

But isn’t it given in all primary schools? It is here in Northern Ireland

Oh well, if we aren’t ALL going to die…then so many things aren’t important …🤦‍♀️I’ll leave you to your relativism

Thank heaven for qualified people, experts and scientists …and sometimes a concerned public health strategy ♥️

These are the general NHS UK guidelines - there is no caveat about regional variations. Carers are eligible if they care for an older or disabled person or receive carer's allowance. I had mine at a pharmacy and while they grilled me about the Covid jab I had originally been booked in for (and wouldn't give it to me as I no longer met the criteria) they gave me the flu jab readily.

• are aged 65 or over (including those who will be 65 by 31 March 2026)
• have certain long-term health conditions
• are pregnant
• live in a care home
• are the main carer for an older or disabled person, or receive a carer's allowance
• live with someone who has a weakened immune system

The vaccine isn't working

I'm fed up of hearing people talk about how they're not getting themselves or their children vaccinated. Maybe we wouldn't be hearing about the flu so much if people actually got vaccinated.

I am obese. I am aware of how bad it is for my health. I am also not blind to what is happening in society.

I've just heard the news on the radio "An EXPLOSION of flu cases TEARING through hospitals." You have language like this being used in flu season and people wonder why there's so much hysteria. It's absolutely f'king pathetic,

Are you starting a new thread? The topic was flu and media coverage

Unless you need hospital care tonight.

You’ve stopped musing about your pretend qualifications as an immunologist and now you are a public health expert…the biggest threat to obese people is weight stigma which you add to. Children’s teeth?!! 🤦‍♀️

The NHS is on its knees permanently and people can't access help for even serious illness, so what's the difference? You either die or you don't, but it's all a lottery regardless.

There are an estimated 5000 critical care beds in the U.K. If half of them are taken up with flu patients, that’s a problem. It not only impacts on emergent patients, it means routine surgeries are cancelled as there has to be critical care beds available for post operative patients. This means the already massive waiting lists will grow ever longer. Add to that a shortage of staff due to illness, and the fact those cases won’t be spread across the country, but will be where there are major outbreaks, that makes a threefold increase in hospitalisations a crisis.

The vaccines never cover all strains.

The NHS is heavily rationed healthcare with a box-ticking culture, which then leads to bed-blocking and lengthy handovers. Combine that with people clogging up A&E because their GP fobbed them off.

Yes it’s a problem for the hospitals. It’s not something that’s going to kill us all.

Where do you thing 1,200 extra beds to treat those people come from? What does their loss of availability affect?

It’s not complicated ..how many beds does your local hospital have? The NHS have said the equivalent of THREE full NHS hospitals are occupied by flu inpatients…the result of that is delays in A&E….which leads to …preventable deaths, cancelled planned surgeries which leads to delays and deaths…

A child could understand this is a problem

Of course they are. Obesity rates have risen. In 2020 35k children had teeth removed at hospital. In 2025 that was 47k. More people than ever are on prescription medications. Mental health has tanked. It all points to a generally more unhealthy society.

Ah so that's the how. Sepsis is a secondary problem. That's how flu can lead to organ failure and limb amputations, right, now it makes sense. Thanks for not belittling me.

Do you know what the criteria are for receiving an NHS jab in a pharmacy in NI? If you are a carer/ in receipt of Carer's Allowance does this count? Because we've got FA chance of getting through to the GP, tbh.

The trajectory is the same as last season, the only difference is that the season has started earlier (something which isn't unheard of).
The media is whipping up hysteria, click bait if you like. It's irresponsible, because we're already seeing restrictions akin to covid restrictions - visiting being suspended in hospitals, two localities in Scotland have reintroduced online learning. Vaccine stocks are running low too, because people for whom it's not deemed necessary are hoovering it up. The scare mongering will hit retail and hospitality.
I don't think it's a coincidence either that the government is making big on flu at a time when they're desperate to influence public opinion on the doctors strikes.

You are not being unreasonable.

That's so sad. It's an illness to be taken seriously.

Nobody is going to do lockdown again.
I do feel that there would be a riot if anyone suggested this. I feel sorry for the staff in the hospitals.