News, updates and guidance from UK Health Security Agency

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National flu immunisation programme plan 2023 to 2024

The tripartite annual flu letter from DHSC, NHS England and UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) laying out the flu vaccination programme for 2023/24 has been published.

The letter sets out guidance for the programme, including who is eligible for the vaccine this coming flu season. From 1 September 2023, the below groups will be eligible:

  • those aged 65 years and over
  • those aged 6 months to under 65 years in clinical risk groups (as defined by the Green Book, chapter 19 (Influenza))
  • pregnant women
  • all children aged 2 or 3 years on 31 August 2023
  • primary school aged children (from Reception to Year 6)
  • those in long-stay residential care homes
  • carers in receipt of carer’s allowance, or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person
  • close contacts of immunocompromised individuals
  • frontline workers in a social care setting without an employer led occupational health scheme including those working for a registered residential care or nursing home, registered domiciliary care providers, voluntary managed hospice providers and those that are employed by those who receive direct payments (personal budgets) or Personal Health budgets, such as Personal Assistants

Further guidance will follow on how the flu programme should be aligned to any Autumn COVID-19 vaccination programme.

For the full letter, please visit UKHSA’s website.

Mpox

We are urging people to remain vigilant to mpox ahead of the summer months, as the latest data shows an increase in cases in London over the past 4 weeks.

In an interim epidemiological update published last week, a further 10 cases of mpox have been diagnosed in the UK since the last epidemiological update on 4 May. This brings the total number of new cases in the UK since the beginning of the year to 20.

Vaccination has played a crucial role in protecting people and reducing case numbers. The government remains committed to sustaining reduced transmission of mpox and achieving the ultimate goal of eliminating transmission of the disease in the UK.

Those who are eligible but have not yet received 2 doses of the vaccine are being encouraged to come forward and book their first dose by 16 June 2023 and be booked in for their second dose by the end of July 2023.

Those eligible for the vaccine include gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men who have multiple sexual partners, participate in group sex or attend sex on premises venues. Staff who work in these premises are also eligible.

People can find their nearest mpox vaccination site through NHS.UK. This has been updated to include the latest clinics offering appointments.

Stakeholders can also use our social media assets on mpox to share messages about the vaccination offer on your own channels. 

Read more in our news story.

Testing and treatment for hepatitis

As of 2021, an estimated 206,000 people are living with a chronic hepatitis B infection in England and 92,900 people are living with hepatitis C infection in the UK.

Hepatitis B and C are viral infections that affect the liver and are passed on through blood, semen and vaginal fluids. Many people who have hepatitis are unaware they have the infection, because the viruses can be symptomless. This means they aren’t getting the treatments they need and are possibly passing the virus on to others without knowing.

Our new blog explains hepatitis in the UK including symptoms, vaccination and treatments, and further information that is available. 

Staying well when travelling abroad this summer

Lots of people will be travelling abroad this year. In a new blog, Dr Shreya Singhal, a junior doctor who has worked in infectious diseases and general practice, shares her top tips for people looking to travel this summer. 

This handy guide includes tips on how to travel safely and minimise risks to your health. It covers vaccinations, general health measures, diseases to be aware of, and sexual health.

We are also reminding people it is important to check your destination before you travel and be prepared by staying up to date with the latest outbreaks and events.

Avian influenza

UKHSA continues to work with partners including the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) to assess the risk to human health from avian influenza and improve our understanding of the virus.  

While the high levels of transmission in poultry and wild birds present a constant risk, there is no evidence so far that the virus is getting better at infecting humans or other mammals. However, viruses constantly evolve, and we remain vigilant for any evidence of changing risk to the population, as well as working with partners to address gaps in the scientific evidence. 

Defra and APHA are also providing updates on the latest situation in England, and guidance for bird keepers and the public on preventing avian influenza and stopping it spreading. There is also guidance on how to spot and report bird flu in poultry and other captive birds. There is further guidance on avoiding the risk of infection when working with infected poultry, which has been published by the Health and Safety Executive. 

Measles

The latest UKHSA health protection data shows there has been a rise in measles cases.

Vaccines are our best line of defence against diseases like measles, mumps and rubella and help stop outbreaks occurring in the community. However, in recent years the number of children vaccinated against these diseases has fallen.

We are calling on all parents and guardians to make sure their children are up to date with their 2 MMR doses. It’s never too late to catch up, and people can get the MMR vaccine for free on the NHS whatever their age. There is further information below which you may wish to use on your own channels:

Vaccine catch-up campaign for London

The drive to vaccinate children in London against polio and ensure they are up to date with key immunisations is gearing up for a second phase, which seeks to ensure as many children as possible are protected against serious illness.

Parents and carers of children aged one to 11 who are not up to date with their vaccinations, are being offered vaccinations for their children against polio and measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) through primary schools and community venues. 

Find the NHS press release in full here and read a London polio and MMR vaccination FAQ here.  

While there are early signs of reduced spread of the poliovirus in London, UKHSA will continue to work with the NHS in London to ensure the next phase of the response helps maintain protection against polio, measles and other infections – in both the population overall in London and in communities at greatest risk.

Read more on the latest polio surveillance in our news story.

COVID-19 vaccination spring programme

The 2023 spring coronavirus (COVID-19) booster programme is now underway. A spring booster dose is being offered to:

  • adults aged 75 years and over
  • residents in a care home for older adults
  • individuals aged 5 years and over who are immunosuppressed

Those eligible can book their vaccination on the National Booking Service or NHS App.

The last date for the public to book spring boosters will be 30 June 2023.

The offer of a first and second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine will also come to an end for many people on 30 June. After this date, the NHS offer will become more targeted to those at increased risk, usually during seasonal campaigns.

Social media assets have been created to increase awareness of the COVID-19 vaccine. Materials from UKHSA, the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England can all be found on the Campaign Resource Centre.

COVID-19 vaccine to be offered to children aged 6 months to 4 years in clinical risk groups

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has advised that clinically vulnerable children aged 6 months to 4 years should be offered a COVID-19 vaccine.

Although young children are generally at low risk of developing severe illness from COVID-19, infants and young children who have underlying medical conditions are over seven times more likely to be admitted to Paediatric Intensive Care Units.

The full range of clinical risk groups are defined in the COVID-19 chapter of the Green Book.

The JCVI does not currently advise COVID-19 vaccination of children aged 6 months to 4 years who are not in a clinical risk group.

NHS England has since confirmed it will begin offering vaccinations to those eligible in England from mid-June. Parents should wait to be contacted before coming forward.

Read more in our news story.

Being ‘tick aware’ this summer

As we head into spring and summer we are reminding people to be ‘tick aware’ as they enjoy the great outdoors.

Ticks can carry infections and while Lyme disease is more common in the UK, we have recently confirmed a case of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in England.

UKHSA resources on ticks can be found on our website. 

This toolkit includes a poster and leaflet. It also provides information to support locally-driven tick awareness, and to raise awareness of the risks posed by ticks more generally.

Learn on being ‘tick aware’ in our blog.

Farm visits

Visiting a farm is an enjoyable and educational experience for many people, particularly children. However, visiting a farm carries a small risk of catching infection from animals or the environment. Farm animals can be the source of several bugs that can be passed from animals to humans and cause illness. Some can be particularly serious for children or pregnant women.

People can follow simple hygiene steps to help reduce their risk.

UKHSA has produced videos for use on social media to explain the risks. These are available on our shared drive or alternatively via a WeTransfer download – please email externalaffairs@ukhsa.gov.uk if you are experiencing difficulties accessing these files. 

Adverse Weather and Health Plan

UKHSA has published the first Adverse Weather and Health Plan (AWHP) for England.

The Plan outlines key areas where the public sector, independent sector, voluntary sector, health and social care organisations, and local communities can work together to maintain and improve integrated arrangements for planning and response to deliver the best outcomes possible during adverse weather.

The Plan has been developed by scientists and public health experts in the UKHSA’s new Centre for Climate and Health Security and brings together and builds on the previous Heatwave Plan for England and the Cold Weather Plan for England. This new annual document includes:  

  • A collection of supporting evidence published in parallel, that underlines the scientific evidence that supports the plan;
  • Updated weather-health alerts developed in partnership with the Met Office;
  • New and updated guidance and supporting materials, providing advice on how to stay safe during severe weather events, such as periods of extreme heat and cold.

You can read more about the plan in our news story.

National Immunisation Network Conference 2023

The UKHSA’s National Immunisation Network (NIN) are hosting their first in-person conference since 2019 at the Park Plaza Hotel in London on 13 and 14 June. ‘Vaccination: back to the future 2.0’ will celebrate 10 years of the NIN, 60 years of the JCVI, and the successes of historic vaccine programmes. It will also focus on current and emerging scientific issues in immunisation and challenges relating to the implementation of UKHSA’s national immunisation programme.

To see full details of the programme and to book your place by 5 June at 5pm, please visit the UKHSA NIN2023 website.  If you have any further questions about the conference, please email NIN2020@ukhsa.gov.uk. 

COVID-19 Data:

COVID-19 dashboard

Every Thursday at 6pm the COVID-19 Dashboard is updated with daily data on testing, cases, healthcare and vaccinations – up to the most recent available data for each UK nation. Read our blog on the move to weekly reporting. Visit the COVID-19 Dashboard

Surveillance

Every Thursday, at 2:00pm we publish our weekly COVID-19 surveillance reports. These reports summarise the surveillance of influenza, COVID-19 and other seasonal respiratory illnesses, including, weekly findings from community, primary care, secondary care and mortality surveillance systems.

Read the latest report here. 

Transmission statistics

The final publication of the R value and growth rate was on 23 December 2022. COVID-19 incidence data will continue to be accessible from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) COVID-19 Infection Survey, UK Statistical bulletins. 

Variants of concern

The latest data on variants of concern or under investigation data can be found here.

Notification of Infectious Diseases report

Each week, we publish the latest Weekly Statutory Notification of Infectious Diseases (NOIDs) Report on GOV.UK. Please see the Report section for all available NOIDs data. For more information on Health Protection (Notification) Regulations please view the NOIDs guidance page.