Hospitals declare critical incidents as schools shut and No 10 encourages face masks amid 'super-flu tidal wave'
Downing Street has said people should 'consider' wearing masks
Hospitals have declared critical incidents and commuters are being urged to wear masks in pubic spaces as a “tidal wave” of illness descends on Britain.
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Experts have warned of a “super-flu” descending on the health service in the run-up to Christmas, with an average of 1,717 patients being admitted to hospital every day during the last week of November.
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, which is responsible for four major hospitals in the city, declared a critical incident on Tuesday due to “extreme pressures” caused by the flu outbreak.
As a result, Brits have been warned to avoid the Trust's A&Es unless they are experiencing “life-threatening conditions.”
Read more: Schools plunged into lockdown as 'super-flu' sweeps nation
Downing Street said to wear a mask to prevent the spread of respiratory illness was “something people can consider” after the head of NHS Providers recommended wider use of face coverings.
Daniel Elkeles, chief executive of NHS Providers which represents NHS trusts, said the country was facing a “nasty” strain of flu.
A No 10 spokesman said: “There is long-standing guidance in place for people on a range of measures they can consider taking to help limit the spread of winter bugs if they have flu-like symptoms.
“This is neither new nor an instruction, but simply something people can consider when trying to limit the spread of winter respiratory illnesses. It’s been a long-standing position.
“The best defence against flu is the vaccine, which is why we’re ramping up our vaccination efforts this winter with almost 17 million flu jobs already delivered, which is 350,000 more than this time last year.”
And Britain is not the only place being affected, with this strain of super-flu wreaking havoc in several European countries.
French authorities today revealed flu cases are soaring amongst every age group, while the sale of masks in Majorca has risen sharply over the last three weeks.
French health officials revealed cases are increasing in every age group in the country, and pharmacists in Majorca are reporting a surge in mask sales and flu medicine in the last three weeks.
The Government has urged schools to close only under “extreme circumstances” - but at least three across England and Wales have been forced to shut their doors over the last week.
A Downing Street spokesperson said: "This will be a tough winter for our NHS and the latest figures confirm flu cases are at very high levels this year.
“School attendance is critical for children's life chances, and while it's clear cases of flu are going to have an impact on attendance levels, we are clear school closures should only happen in extreme circumstances.
“We provide clear guidance to help parents know exactly when to keep children home, and to help schools both manage children's wellbeing and keep disruption to a minimum.”
As well as advising people to wear a face covering if they feel ill, health officials have also encouraged people to get the flu vaccine to protect against severe illness and hospitalisation.
St Martin’s school in Caerphilly, South Wales was forced to lockdown after 250 pupils and staff fell ill.
Symptoms included vomiting, diarrhoea, high temperatures, cough, headaches, fatigue and “general flu-like effects”.
The school’s headteacher, Lee Jarvic, said the firebreak would allow a deep clean of the site and prevent symptoms from spreading.
It closed on Friday and hopes to reopen on Tuesday but the situation continues to be monitored, he added.
Congleton High School in Cheshire was also forced to close last week amid soaring flu cases.
Dr Jamie Lopez Bernal, Consultant Epidemiologist at UKHSA said: "Nobody wants anyone in their family, especially young children, to spend Christmas in hospital.
"The best defence against this is a vaccine, but time is running out as it can take up to two weeks from vaccination for your body to build maximum protection.
"So don’t delay any longer, if anyone in your family is eligible, book that appointment today or take your child to the local community clinic."
Offering advice on how to "flu-proof your festivities", Dr Bernal suggested some "simple steps" to protect yourself, family and friends.
Dr Bernal said: "If you have flu-like symptoms such as a high temperature, cough or feeling tired and achy – try to limit contact with others, especially those at higher risk.
"Wash your hands regularly, keep indoor spaces well-ventilated and if you need to go out while unwell, consider wearing a face mask."
Mandatory face masks were dropped from official guidance in 2022 after the pandemic, but individual NHS trusts are now able to decide when they should be used.
Whittington Health NHS Trust in London told the public this week: “You must wear a mask when visiting our Emergency Department, some of our wards, and other clinical areas where the risk is high.”
“If you have flu symptoms, please avoid visiting the hospital,” an update added.
Dr Joanne McClean, director of public health at Northern Ireland’s Public Health Authority (PHA), described the current situation in schools as an “epidemic” while East Lothian council in Scotland said more than 8 per cent of pupils spent the last week of November absent.
Dr William Welfare, UKHSA’s director of health protection, said it is "not uncommon" to see outbreaks of flu in schools but warned closures are "rare."
“School closures due to outbreaks are rare and are a decision for the head teacher based on a number of factors, including staff sickness, any possible safety issues, the numbers of more vulnerable children, and whether part or all of the school needs to be closed so that any necessary health protection measures such as deep cleaning can be carried out,” he said.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has also called on people to get a flu jab.
UKHSA data suggests this year’s vaccine is providing good protection even though a drifted influenza A(H3N2) strain – dubbed super flu – is currently dominating cases in England.
The number of people in hospital with flu in England is at a record level for this time of year.
An average of 1,717 flu patients were in beds in England each day, including 69 in critical care, the most recent data showed.
This is 56% higher than the equivalent numbers for the same week in 2024, when the total was 1,098 with 39 in critical care.
It is also well above levels seen in both 2023 (243 patients) and 2022 (772).
New NHS data on flu will be released on Thursday.