Flu season passes peak - but watch out for a second wave
Flu season has passed its peak, but health experts warn of a potential second wave as winter illnesses persist. Doctors continue to encourage vaccination, particularly for vulnerable groups, to maintain herd immunity.
Why it matters
Public health warnings are essential for managing seasonal disease outbreaks and preventing hospital system strain.
Many doctors are breathing a sigh of relief as the flu season passes its peak - but there is a warning of a sting in its tail.
Hospitalisations from flu-like illnesses have dropped sharply in latest figures - to about 10 in 100,000.
Children under-five have fallen for the first time since 2 August.
College of General Practitioners clinicical lead Luke Bradford said GPs had also noticed a big drop-off in the community.
After a mountain of cases this year, there was now a level of herd immunity from both vaccinations and people who had the virus, he said.
"That's why the peak drops off each year - it gets to the point where the virus can't pass on to the next person at the same rate, because they are immune to it."
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