Patient safety alert and briefing note re early flu season and drifted strain circulating
Please see the attached briefing note and this Patient Safety Alert online - https://www.cas.mhra.gov.uk/ViewandAcknowledgment/ViewAlert.aspx?AlertID=103269 for information that’s gone out this morning re flu.
UKHSA surveillance data indicates that flu is circulating in the community earlier than usual this season with a drifted strain of Influenza A(H3N2) predominating.
Clinicians should continue to promote and deliver influenza vaccination for eligible patients and for healthcare workers.
Clinicians are also reminded that early antiviral treatment reduces the risk of complications and improves clinical outcomes.
The attached briefing note and letter on the link above provide further information and actions for providers. (This should have been cascaded through usual channels, but please do share with colleagues as appropriate).
We are remaining reactive on this and anticipate that there will be some media interest. Our lines are below for your info, but please get in touch if you have any questions/media interest and we can respond.
UKHSA reactive lines:
“While it is still early in the season and difficult to predict with certainty which flu strains, if any, may dominate, early data on the strains circulating to date suggest that a “drifted” H3N2 subtype may become dominant, as has been reported in other countries. This strain has the potential to reduce vaccine effectiveness, but laboratory findings don’t always translate in the real world.
“Strains can fluctuate throughout the season causing different waves and those more prevalent earlier may change as winter progresses. The flu vaccine has a number of components protecting against the 3 main flu virus types and it typically provides protection against severe clinical disease even when ‘drifted’ strains are seen with only a small reduction in effectiveness.
“The UK flu programme uses technologically advanced vaccines optimised for each patient group. Whatever strains do circulate here this winter, we can be confident that the vaccine will still help give some protection to those most vulnerable from developing serious illness and being hospitalised. We strongly encourage all those eligible to get vaccinated against flu as soon as possible – it remains our best defence.”
Also for info, we are issuing a release tomorrow aimed at those with LTHC to get the vaccine this year. We will share this when finalised.
Our weekly winter bulletin will also go out tomorrow afternoon, and will be added to the rolling news story here - https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ukhsa-weekly-winter-surveillance-bulletin, this will be accompanied by social
Please do continue to use the assets in the toolkit (now on V7) to encourage vaccine uptake – https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1imyZXzu8sYF6DFK4C6rzMH52PtPljd-q