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 symptoms, risk factors and who is eligible for the vaccine.
During both the summer and winter seasons, UKHSA and the Met Office monitor weather forecasts to help health and social care professionals, responders, the voluntary sector and the public cope with adverse weather. Where episodes of particularly hot or cold …
Flu and COVID-19 can be unpleasant for most people, but if you're pregnant, it's particularly important to get vaccinated to protect both you and your baby. We recommend that all pregnant women get flu and COVID-19 vaccines in the coming …
Flu season is just around the corner, and now is the time to get protected. If you are a parent of eligible pre-schoolers, make sure that you book your child in with their GP practice for the nasal spray that …
Despite the recent hot and sunny weather, winter is coming, and with it comes an increased risk of catching flu. Flu can leave many of us feeling dreadful and laid up in bed for days, but for certain groups, the …
What is the latest guidance on COVID-19? Ahead of winter 2023, we take a look at the current advice on what we can all do to help stop the spread of COVID-19, influenza (flu) and other respiratory infections that peak during the colder months.
This blog covers the risk factors for syphilis, its signs and symptoms, and how it can be prevented.
Data is essential to health security, underpinning our ability to prepare for, prevent and respond to health threats so we can save lives and protect livelihoods. We have published a data strategy setting out a unified approach to data which supports our 3-year strategic plan.
In this blog, Dr Mike Reynolds, Principal Scientist within the Emerging Infections and Zoonoses team, dives into the daily work he and his colleagues do to keep you safe.
The 100 Days Mission is a global initiative launched in 2021 to ensure that key interventions we have to defeat pandemics can be deployed equitably within 100 days of recognising a new threat. Speed is of the essence in a pandemic, but the initiative is committed to equity, resilience and security on a domestic and global level, and to ensuring that these vital interventions are available in a timely manner in low- and middle-income countries.
UKHSA's Vaccine Development and Evaluation Centre (VDEC) brings together our combination of expertise and facilities – often rare or unique in the UK and worldwide – from our ability to safely handle the world’s most dangerous pathogens through to our quality-systems which mean the data we generate is trusted by national and international regulators.
