
13th January 2023
Weekly national influenza and coronavirus (COVID-19) report, COVID-19 activity, seasonal flu and other seasonal respiratory illnesses.
Flu surveillance up until end of week 1
Swab positivity for flu* has decreased to 12.2% in week 1, compared to 25.2% in week 52. The highest positivity is seen in 5 to 14-year-olds at 17.0%.
Hospital admission rates and intensive care admission rates have decreased in the last week. Hospital admission rates have decreased and intensive care activity decreased this week but remained at medium activity levels**.
Admission rates have decreased in adults aged 85 and over (down to 46.5 this week from 70.9 per 100,000 the previous week) and those aged 75 to 84 (down to 23.7 this week from 40.0 per 100,000 the previous week). Hospitalisations among children under the age of 5 also remain high but have decreased (14.0 per 100,000 down from 21.6 last week).
Flu vaccine uptake is comparable to the previous 2021 to 2022 season in a number of cohorts, with 78.7% of 65-year-olds and over having received their flu vaccine, exceeding the World Health Organization (WHO) target.
For pregnant women, vaccine uptake is 33.6%, and for those under 65 years in a clinical risk group, it is 46.7%.
Vaccine uptake in 2 and 3-year-olds (40.4% and 42.9% respectively) is below that seen in the previous 2 seasons, but broadly comparable to the 2018 to 2019 pre-pandemic season.
Rates of in-person contact (meeting with people from outside of the household) for week 1 of 2023 were comparable to those of week 52 2022, and have not returned to the levels seen in November to mid-December (source: UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) FluSurvey). UKHSA continues to monitor flu signal as more people return to work and school.
*The percentage of people who test positive among those with symptoms tested at sentinel ‘spotter' laboratories, reported through the Respiratory Datamart surveillance system.
**Influenza activity bands are set using an international standard method.
Dr Conall Watson, Consultant Epidemiologist at UKHSA, said:
Delivering more than 20 million flu vaccines is an important milestone and this will undoubtedly have spared many thousands from severe illness or hospitalisation and saved countless lives.
Flu continues to be a serious health threat this winter. If you or your children are eligible it’s still not too late to get vaccinated, to protect yourselves and those around you - and help reduce NHS pressures.
Flu vaccination gives vital protection, but there are other simple actions we can all take to prevent viruses spreading. Washing your hands regularly, catching coughs and sneezes in tissues and if possible letting fresh air into rooms and spaces will all help. If you are unwell please don’t visit vulnerable people and try to stay at home. If you do have to go out when you’re unwell, wearing a face covering can also help prevent you passing viruses on.
COVID-19 surveillance up until end of week 1
Surveillance indicators suggest that, at a national level, COVID-19 activity has decreased in most indicators in week 1 of 2023 compared to week 52 of 2022.
The COVID-19 hospital admission rate for week 1 was 9.08 per 100,000 population, a small decrease from 10.76 in the previous week.
Hospital admission rates for COVID-19 are highest in the North East, with a rate of 13.18 per 100,000 population.
Dr Jamie Lopez Bernal, Consultant Epidemiologist for Immunisation and Countermeasures at UKHSA, said:
These early signs that COVID-19 infection levels may be in decline are encouraging and welcome, but we cannot be complacent. Today’s data shows we’re heading in the right direction but COVID-19 is still circulating at high levels and hospital admissions remain high in the oldest age groups (117.3 in those 85s and over), so it is particularly important that everyone who is eligible continues to come forward to accept their booster jab.
While COVID-19 is a mild illness for many, we must not forget that it can cause severe illness or even death for those most vulnerable in our communities. COVID-19 is still circulating at high levels, so do take up your vaccine if you are offered it.
Following some simple steps can help keep us safe from different winter illnesses in circulation. If you are unwell this winter, please try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people, particularly elderly or vulnerable people – this will help stop infection from spreading. If you are unwell but have to go out, please consider wearing a face covering and practise good hand hygiene to limit spread.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) surveillance up until end of week 1
RSV overall swab positivity* decreased to 5.1% with positivity in under 5-year-olds at 13.2%. Decreases in positivity were seen in most age groups.
The RSV hospitalisation rate decreased overall, including in the under 5 years age groups.
Emergency department attendances for acute bronchiolitis decreased nationally.