Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major respiratory virus that is most common over the winter period, typically November to February. Most cases are mild, but RSV can be serious, especially for infants and older adults.
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'.
As children head back to school and we move closer to winter, now is a good time to familiarise ourselves with some of the common illnesses that can cause disruption to children’s time in school during the colder months.
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.
Many vaccines need more than one dose to provide protection. This blog post explains why multiple doses are sometimes needed, how vaccine schedules are determined, and what the evidence says about staying protected.
As we move into spring, 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 …
This blog post was first published during an outbreak of meningococcal disease (MenB) in Kent. It explained what to do, where you could get antibiotics if you were affected and who was being offered a vaccine.
Measles is highly contagious, so even a small decline in vaccine uptake can lead to a rise in cases. There has been a resurgence of measles in England, and around the world, in recent years.
Measles is highly contagious so even a small decline in vaccine uptake can lead to a rise in cases. There has been a resurgence of measles in England and around the world in recent years. In 2024 there were 2,911 laboratory confirmed measles cases in England, the highest number of cases recorded annually in decades.
Shingles, known medically as herpes zoster, is an infection that causes a painful rash. It is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox (varicella). Once someone has recovered from chickenpox, the virus remains dormant in the body and then can reactivate later in life and present as shingles because of decreased immunity – either …
