Sewage detectives: how UKHSA is using wastewater to track common viruses and emerging threats

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Science
Sewage treatment works with an image inset of Sejal Wadhia, Business Operations Manager and Zarqa Khan, Junior Project Manager in the Immunisation & Vaccine Preventable Diseases Division (IVPD)

The wastewater that we send from our toilets towards sewage treatment plants every day is potentially rich in data about our health. For the past 4 years, UKHSA has been monitoring wastewater across England for signs of polio, and over the past year has been testing new technologies to detect other potential threats. The next …

What are the symptoms of scarlet fever and is it contagious?

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Children and Young people
A child sticking out their tongue, which shows the white coating that is one of the symptoms of scarlet fever

Scarlet fever is a childhood illness that some might associate with the past, but it remains fairly common in the UK. In recent years, there has been a noticeable increase in cases. Here, we answer the most common questions about scarlet fever, what to look out for and how to reduce its spread.

Who’s eligible for the 2026 COVID-19 vaccine, or ‘Autumn Booster’?

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Immunisation and vaccination, Winter
Two people stand on an allotment beside a garden shed and several small greenhouses. Flowering plants with pale yellow blooms fill the foreground, while gardening equipment, planters and a hanging basket are visible around the shed in bright daylight.

When autumn comes, protection from any earlier COVID-19 vaccination you may have had will be starting to wane. For those who are more likely to become seriously ill from COVID-19, the NHS offers a free vaccine in the autumn, previously known as the 'Autumn Booster'.

Should I be concerned that an invasive mosquito species has been detected in East London? 

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: UKHSA science, Zoonoses
Close up of an Aedes aegypti mosquito on a person's skin, sucking human blood

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has detected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and larvae at residential properties in East London. It is the first time this species has been found breeding in the UK, and the fourth modern-day detection of Aedes …

Your guide to who’s eligible for the autumn 2026 flu vaccine  

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: flu, immunisations
Woman helping a small child to drink out of a cup of water

Flu season is approaching, and some people can already book their free NHS flu vaccine. Here's everything you need to know about who can get vaccinated this year, what's changed since last autumn, and whether you need to be concerned about the so-called ‘Super-K strain’ that circulated last season.

Cyclospora: what it is, and how can you protect yourself when travelling? 

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Travel
A buffet-style salad bar with large white serving bowls filled with fresh vegetables, including mixed leafy greens, sliced tomatoes, cucumbers and chopped salad ingredients. Metal serving tongs rest in each bowl.

Every summer, a small but steady number of UK travellers return from holidays abroad with an unwelcome souvenir: a parasitic infection that can leave them dealing with unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms for weeks. This summer we’ve seen a sharp rise in illness caused by cyclospora.