The NHS must apply Covid-era lessons to ride out the winter flu surge, experts say.
Flu cases are climbing and resident doctors are set to strike from Wednesday, putting even more pressure on the health service. A group of UK academics argue that a three-part strategy could ease the strain: boost flu vaccination uptake, provide better support so people can stay home when sick, and improve ventilation and air quality to curb transmission.
In the BMJ, the authors caution that the same measures proven useful during the Covid pandemic remain relevant, yet they warn that society keeps failing to implement them. If these steps aren’t taken, they warn, people will continue to fall ill and die while schools close and hospitals become overwhelmed.
This winter is expected to be particularly challenging for the NHS, with the flu season starting earlier than usual. A new viral strain circulating in several regions, including the UK, is thought to spread more rapidly.
Prof Stephen Reicher of the University of St Andrews, a co-author, emphasizes that the idea of a single “super flu” is not a medical term and may distract from the real issue: seasonal respiratory illnesses recur every year, and the Covid-era lessons have not been fully adopted.
The other two co-authors are Prof Martin McKee of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and Prof Stephen Griffin of the University of Leeds. They advocate expanding free flu vaccination, engaging with vaccine-hesitant individuals, and broadening vaccine access—such as offering shots in schools and workplaces.
The trio also stress the need for robust support to enable isolation when unwell. They contrast the UK with Germany, where workers receive 100% of their salary for up to eight weeks of sick leave, while UK statutory sick pay has been criticized for being too low and insufficient for the first days of illness. Even with proposed employment rights changes, they argue that many people with Covid or flu still feel compelled to work to make ends meet, making isolation largely an ideal rather than a practical option.
Ventilation and good airflow are highlighted as crucial for reducing the spread of both Covid and flu. Reicher notes that beyond protecting health and reducing absences, better ventilation can improve decision-making and productivity.
He also criticizes a short-term political mindset that prioritizes immediate gains over long-term benefits. A longer-term perspective, he suggests, would help address recurring public-health challenges.
Rather than lecturing the public, the authors urge the government to foster a sense of partnership with citizens and communities. As the festive season unfolds, they stress the importance of communal responsibility.
And as Reicher concludes, the best gift for vulnerable relatives this Christmas would be to avoid giving them the flu.
