Residents in the Burnham-On-Sea are being asked to do their bit to help the NHS as services across Somerset are under ‘significant pressure’.
In England as a whole, the NHS says a ‘tidal wave’ of flu infections led to a 70% increase in hospital cases across just seven days – with an average of 1,861 patients with flu in hospital every day last week – up from 1,099 in the previous week and 3.5 times higher compared to the same time last year.
NHS leaders in Somerset say the national picture is being reflected locally and are encouraging eligible people to get vaccinated without delay if they haven’t done so already to guard against an unwelcome bout of ‘festive flu’.
Norovirus and RSV are also on the rise – nationally, norovirus cases are up by 10% from last week and almost two thirds since (64%) last year and 152 children were in hospital with RSV each day, up by over two fifths on the same period last year (107 w/e 10 Dec 2023).
The NHS says the ‘tidal wave’ of seasonal illnesses is prompting further ‘quad-demic’ concerns across the NHS with staff pulling out the stops to deliver almost 28 million vaccines so far.
Dr Melanie Iles, Chief Medical Officer at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton and Yeovil District Hospital, where both emergency departments are under pressure, says: “Everyone can do their bit to help the NHS when it’s under pressure.”
“It’s vital that those who need medical help come forward as they usually would – using 999 and A&E in life threatening emergencies but for everything else, please consider using 111 online alongside your GP practices and pharmacies.”
NHS Somerset’s Chief Medical Officer Bernie Marden adds: “While the NHS has plans in place to manage additional demand over the busy winter period, with one week left to book your vaccine, I cannot stress enough the importance of getting booked in to protect yourself against serious illness and to avoid ‘festive flu’.”
For details on vaccinations for flu, Covid and RSV in Somerset, click here: https://nhssomerset.nhs.uk/my-health/vaccinations/
