Public health officials are reiterating the importance of vaccine take-up after seeing a rise in circulating levels of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), particularly in young children.
Surveillance figures show RSV is circulating above baseline levels with particularly pronounced increases in those under five years old. Emergency department attendances for acute bronchiolitis have also increased nationally, NHS figures show.
The UK Health Security Agency also warned that norovirus activity in the last two weeks of October was 16% higher than the previous fortnight.
Overall rates of norovirus were more than double the five-season average for the time of year, having seemingly started earlier than usual.
At the moment Covid and flu were both at low levels but this is also expected to change in the coming weeks, UKHSA said.
Dr Jamie Lopez Bernal, consultant epidemiologist at UKHSA, said: ‘RSV is now circulating at higher levels, particularly amongst those aged five-years-old and under.
‘While other respiratory illnesses remain at baseline levels, we expect to see this change in the next few weeks and we urge everyone eligible to get vaccinated against the three main winter threats.’
RSV vaccination was launched in September this year for pregnant women and those aged 75 to 79 years.
A study published this week by UKHSA and Imperial College London researchers found RSV vaccination could help tackle antibiotic resistance.
A detailed analysis of GP patient records in England found 640,000 antibiotic prescriptions a year were attributable to RSV.
It accounts for around 2% of all antibiotic prescriptions with adults over 75 contributing the greatest volume, the study found.
The research, published as a pre-print, also showed that infants aged six to 23 months had the highest average annual rate at 6,580 prescriptions per 100,000 individuals.
Speaking on norovirus figures, Amy Douglas, epidemiologist at UKHSA said since the start of the 2024/2025 season, the number of norovirus outbreaks reported in hospital settings was 26% higher than the five-season average.
Mulitple factors were likely contributing to the observed increase in laboratory reports, including ongoing changes to the epidemiology following the pandemic, and changes in testing and reporting to national surveillance.
‘The usual increase we see in norovirus cases heading into the winter has started earlier compared to previous seasons.’
She added: ‘We’re seeing more cases of a particular strain of norovirus this year, but at present there is no indication it leads to more severe illness.’
Anyone with diarrhoea and vomiting should not return to work, school or nursery until 48 hours after their symptoms have stopped, she added.
The NHS, entirely predictably and true to form, was slow to offer RSV vaccination, and is still only offering vaccination to a minority of those who could potentially benefit.
And we are supposed to be grateful, because it’s “free”.