HOSPITALS across the UK have introduced more restrictions as they battle a “quad-emic” of winter bugs.
The combination of the flu, Covid-19, a cold-causing respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and norovirus have surged widely in December.
6
6
6
Around 95 per cent of NHS beds were already filled in England at the beginning of the month – a level typically seen only in the depths of winter.
This has prompted some hospitals to enforce Covid-style mandatory face masks for both staff and patients.
Meanwhile, others are urging patients to avoid visiting A&E unless absolutely necessary, as they struggle with “exceptionally high demand”.
After a 40 per cent jump in flu hospitalisations, NHS trusts in Cambridge, Essex and Bedfordshire introduced new restrictions on Monday to limit the risk of infection to patients, staff and the public.
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust scaled back non-maternity visiting hours by three hours, from 8am-8pm to 11am-8pm, with a maximum of two people allowed at a time.
Neigbouring Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust ended visits to the emergency department, acute medical unit and medical wards at Chelmford’s Broomfield Hospital, except for patients receiving end-of-life care.
The trust said it was treating many patients with norovirus and flu and called on anyone displaying symptoms not to visit any of its facilities.
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has introduced restrictions in response to an “exceptional level of demand on services” due to “flu and other winter viruses”.
The trust, which runs Bedford Hospital and Luton & Dunstable University Hospital, is only allowing one visitor at a time on several of its wards.
On Saturday, NHS Dumfries and Galloway, in Scotland, introduced temporary restrictions to visiting due to a “high volume of respiratory illness” in the community.
Airedale General Hospital, in West Yorkshire, began limiting visits to a surgical assessment unit for acute and elderly patients on December 19, after an outbreak of norovirus.
Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust took similar steps at two of its sites on December 2.
6
6
Figures from the UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA) most recent report showed cases of Covid and RSV stabilising, while flu and vomiting bug infections surged in the weeks before Christmas.
The risk of catching the four illnesses rises sharply at this time of year as people spend more time indoors with friends and family.
At the end of last week, patients and visitors across South Wales were told to wear masks to stop the spread of infection.
‘Extreme pressure’
Cardiff and Vale health board said masks would be required in all of its assessment, emergency and waiting areas, and by staff in all clinical areas, “in light of rising cases of flu in the community and across our hospital sites”.
Chesterfield Royal Hospital and the University Hospitals of Leicester Trust, including Leicester General, Leicester Royal Infirmary, and Glenfield, have all enforced the mask-wearing rules.
And now the emergency department at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff is the latest in a string of hospitals to announce it’s facing “extreme pressure”.
Many hospitals declared critical incident in the lead-up to Christmas due to high volumes of patients and not enough beds.
Royal Stoke University Hospital declared its eighth critical incident of the year due to “increasing pressure” in A&E departments.
On Thursday December 19, patients turning up at A&E were expected to wait over four hours to be seen.
Visiting on two hospital wards at Noble’s Hospital in the Isle of Man was suspended due to a “significant increase” in norovirus cases.
And The Royal Hampshire County Hospital and Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital declared critical incidents, with Hampshire Hospitals NHS Trust saying there was “no capacity to admit further patients needing our care”.
Visiting has now been reinstated at Noble’s Hospital and the critical incident status at Royal Stoke University Hospital and the Hampshire hospitals has since been stood down.
How can I protect myself?
Getting jabbed is one of the best ways to protect against these winter viruses.
The NHS is pleading with Brits to get vaccinated as cases and hospital admissions rise.
Flu, Covid and RSV vaccines are free to those who meet NHS eligibility criteria.
Adults aged 65 and over, care home residents and people aged six months to 64 years with specific underlying health conditions are all eligible for free Covid and flu jabs on the NHS.
Those not eligible for free vaccines can purchase one from their local chemist. There is some evidence to suggest wearing a face mask can protect you from catching the bugs.
An RSV vaccination programme has recently been deployed by the NHS. As of November 2024. More than one million have received an RSV vaccination.
The jab is available to those considered most vulnerable: older adults aged 75 to 79 and pregnant women.
Those not eligible can purchase a single dose of RSV vaccine from the pharmacy chain Boots for £245.
At this time there are no vaccines for norovirus – though some are in development.
So the best way to protect yourself from norovirus is to properly sanitise your hands, cover your mouth and nose when you cough and sneeze, dispose of tissues, let fresh air circulate and stay home if you’re unwell.
Delays in the rollout of the RSV vaccine may also mean some vulnerable people received it too late this year to be protected
Wales and Scotland
Public Health Wales figures, released on Christmas Eve, showed the GP consultation rate for influenza in Wales was 33.1 per 100,000 practice population in week 51 of 2024.
This is up from 21.4 consultations per 100,000 the week before.
Meanwhile, figures released by Public Health Scotland (PHS) on Friday 27 December showed a 63 per cent increase in confirmed cases of flu in the past week, rising to 2,752 cases from 1,696 the previous week.
The UKHSA has paused its updates over Christmas, meaning the impact of festive gatherings will not be clear until the new year.
The latest weekly figures for England – for the seven days up to 19 December – revealed the total number of beds being taken up by flu patients in England had increased by 41 per cent to 2,629.
This was more than four times the figure at the same stage in 2023, when the total stood at 648, and higher than the equivalent week in 2022, when the average was 2,088.
There were an average of 127 children with RSV in hospital wards, down from 152 the previous week.
However, this is significantly higher than the 94 recorded at the same point in 2023.
RSV is a highly contagious respiratory virus that affects the lungs and airways, causing cold-like symptoms.
Infections usually clear up by themselves but can become fatal for babies and older adults.
Over the same period, 711 hospital beds in England were filled by patients with diarrhoea and vomiting or norovirus-like symptoms.
This is a decrease from 837 the previous week but remains higher than the equivalent figures of 570 in 2023 and 367 in 2022.
Norovirus is stomach bug that causes vomiting and diarrhoea.
It can be very unpleasant but usually goes away in about two days but is highly contagious.
The number of hospital beds occupied each day by patients who had tested positive for Covid-19 averaged 1,274, down week-on-week from 1,343.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, said: “The NHS has been hit hard with an early festive flu season, putting increased pressure on staff as they prepare for the long winter ahead of us.
“As the busy winter continues I would remind anyone who needs medical support to continue to use 999 and A&E in an emergency and for everything else, use NHS 111 or 111 online.”
When you should call NHS 111 or go to A&E
NHS 111 is the best place to get help if you cannot contact your GP or if you urgently need medical help or advice but it’s not a non-life-threatening situation.
If you’re not sure if you need to go to A&E, you should get hep from NHS 111.
You should visit an A&E department for genuine life-threatening emergencies, such as:
- Loss of consciousness
- Acute confused state and fits that are not stopping
- Chest pain
- Breathing difficulties
- Severe bleeding that cannot be stopped
- Severe allergic reactions
- Severe burns or scalds
- Stroke
- Major trauma such as a road traffic accident
Less severe injuries can be treated in urgent care centres or minor injuries units.
Source: NHS
6
