How high is the risk of catching mpox and how can I protect myself?
In this blog post, we share more information about what mpox is, the different clades, the key symptoms and how UKHSA is working with partners to respond to the outbreak.
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How to stay healthy while wild swimming
This blog post has essential tips and advice if you're thinking of dipping your feet into the cool water of Britain's beaches, lakes and rivers. Read our tips on reducing your risk of becoming ill after open water swimming.
How Heat-Health Alerts contribute to keeping the vulnerable safe this summer
This week’s higher temperatures have triggered a yellow Heat-Health Alert, issued for England by the Met Office and UKHSA. While some may question the necessity of such warnings, it's crucial to understand the significant health implications that accompany changes in temperature. In this blog we look at the importance of taking action to protect the …
How you can help us resist the tiger mosquito’s conquest of Europe
This post was last checked in June 2025. As our world becomes increasingly interconnected and the climate changes, the UK faces challenges that we might associate with more exotic destinations. One such challenge is the potential introduction of invasive mosquito …
What is RSV and is there a vaccine?
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major respiratory virus that is common over the winter period, typically November to February. While the symptoms are mild for many, RSV accounts for around 30,000 hospitalisations of children under 5 in the UK annually, and for 20 to 30 infant deaths. In this post, we look at the …
Whooping cough: my daughter spent the third week of life in an induced coma
In this blog post, Jenny, from Hampshire, shares the story of her daughter Layla and her struggle with whooping cough at 3 weeks old.
What is cryptosporidium, and how can you avoid it in the water or on the farm?
Cryptosporidium [pronounced krip-toe-spuh-RID-ee-um] is a microscopic parasite that can cause an unpleasant – and sometimes dangerous – illness called cryptosporidiosis. This nasty bug lives in the intestines of infected humans and animals and is passed out in their poo. It …
Should we be worried about the new COVID-19 variant?
With the emergence of the NB.1.8.1 COVID-19 variant - sometimes referred to as the Nimbus variant - some people are asking how this new lineage - or group of genetically similar viruses - compares to other variants.
Whooping cough: One mother's story of love, loss and action
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Children and Young people, immunisations, Uncategorized
Whooping cough cases (also known as the '100 day cough') are rising sharply across England. Between January and March 2024 there have sadly been 5 infant deaths. Vaccination is the best protection. In this blog post, Catherine Hughes, Founding Director at The Immunisation Foundation of Australia, shares the story of her son Riley Hughes and …
What is UKHSA doing about antibiotic resistance?
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when medicines used to fight infections lose their effectiveness because the organisms they target – whether bacteria, fungi, viruses or parasites – have evolved or acquired adaptations to survive. In 2019, AMR was directly responsible for …