NHS urged to prepare for heavy flu burden this winter

摘要

The NHS should prepare for the UK to be hit with a heavy burden of influenza cases this winter. as Australia and New Zealand have just experienced their worst flu season in years, NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens has warned. Reports suggest that Australia and New Zealand were hit with almost double the number of cases in July and August - the countries' core winter months - than the average number over the previous five win -ters. and that hospitals struggled to cope. Previous experience suggests the UK could be hit by the same H3 strain that has just affected the southern hemisphere. Stevens said this should act as a warning to the NHS and underlined the need to get as many people as possible vaccinated.