Not a single case of flu detected in England

Whilst I love my granddaughters, since being unable to see them because of the need to shield (wife on immunotherapy) neither of us has had a single cold! It's an ill wind...

Suziewoozie: your post of 15.26 was interesting. I had no idea that there was a swabbing programme in the UK.

I just wonder if you are familiar with the 'flusurvey' programme as above? This compiles statistics regarding prevalence by area, age etc. It may be of particular interest to you.

I have a chest condition and each year, from October to March, become quite ill with several chest infections (necessitating steroids, several courses of antibiotics etc. etc.).

This, mask-wearing winter, nothing!

I have been shielding which is obviously part of the equation as I have not been near many people however I have had hospital and GP surgery visits but still have not picked up any bugs.

It would be wonderful for people like me if mask-wearing becomes (as in Japan) the norm if one has any type of respiratory infection.

Just think, few miserable colds and no 'flu!

If you are interested in helping the fight against 'flu, do look at the following link and consider joining:

www.flusurvey.net

It is run by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in conjunction with Public Health England.

Each week the 'FluSurvey people send me an email and I just click on their link to enter how I am feeling. This helps with research and records the prevalence of 'flu around the country/different age groups etc., and only takes a couple of seconds.

It is a good feeling to know that I am helping the 'flu fight!

If you would like to help, please join!

Herbie9

Reading several different newspapers, I've seen articles that have reported that covid-19 statistics make the death numbers compiled seem greater than they are? Its been noted that one can be admitted into hospital with underlying health problems and unfortunately die but Covid 19 is recorded on the death certificate with sometimes the other health problems recorded as secondary cause of death! Flu deaths - makes one think!

It just makes me think about what we have been told. Covid is far nastier than any flu.

MiniMoon

Well, that's interesting, and quite encouraging too. If social distancing, mask wearing and hand sanitisation are what it takes to subdue flu, then I'm all for it.
I wonder if the uptake of the flu vaccine will continue at the same rate in years to come. I certainly hope so.

I agree MiniMoon. Just think what we could save the NHS if we carried on wearing masks, etc. I think you would still need the vaccine to back it up just as we will probably need an annual Covid vaccine.

Sooziewoozie,
19th century PH developments such as the health of towns movement ( clean water, sewage etc) did more to save lives than any medical advances.

agreed. but i think you mean sewerage...

Sadly, I think half the population will eventually go back to normal behaviour (not washing hands or covering mouth when they cough etc.) The other half (that's us!) will continue to take precautions and try to keep themselves safe from all viruses. I may continue with mask wearing in shops or on public transport in winter for instance. And I will certainly be washing my hands as soon as I enter the house, as I always have done.

Another thing they’ve apparently seen far less of this winter - according to a doctor who dh heard on R4, is bronchiolitis, which mainly affects the under 2s. They usually see so much of it in winter - my little Gds had it 3 times, very serious the first time when he was only 3 months - sedated, tube fed and on oxygen.
That’s a virus, too, so presumably the reduction in cases is down to distancing and so much less mixing.

article not a ticket ?

Do you know of any actual cases herbie. Personally I mean or are you going on a very doubtful a ticket in one of the major newspapers this weekend.

My nephew is a geriatric consultant so I go by what he says.
Accusing a doctor of falsifying a death certificate is a very serious allegation.

I bet the incidence of head lice has decreased too

Just wondering if Herbie is an anti mask/anti vacc sort of person.......

Biscuitmuncher

Oh my gosh, of course theres still flu, it's just got a different name!

????

Peasblossom I do agree with some of your comments but sometimes covid tests do come back negative for hospital patie nts and yet the principal cause of death is set down officially as covid-19. I remain sceptical of such high statistics.

Oh my gosh, of course theres still flu, it's just got a different name!

15.40 Great post Suziewoozie, Agree particularly that public health was the under rated and unsung hero. We must make sure that it's resurgence remains and give it our full support.

The Primary cause of death is the condition that causes the death herbie.

So someone may have cancer but die of pneumonia which is caused by the weakened state has been brought about by cancer. But the primary cause will be recorded as pneumonia. If the pneumonia had not occurred the patient would still be alive.

The same applies with Covid. A patient may have an underlying condition. It is this condition that makes them vunerable to the effects Covid infection. But if they had not caught Covid they would have continued to live. So the primary cause is Covid.

It’s really interesting what we are truly world leading in - or at least among the leaders in. Until the pandemic, public health was very much an unsung hero in the U.K. and very under rated. Its funding had been drastically cut and its influence was very much on the wane. Its necessary resurgence will hopefully remain. I think Germany has a particularly good PH system as well and this was one of the contributing factors to its early successes in dealing with Covid 19. I’m particularly interested in PH in terms of social and health care history. 19th century PH developments such as the health of towns movement ( clean water, sewage etc) did more to save lives than any medical advances. Fascinating stuff and with some real heroes such as Chadwick.

Thanks suziewoozie I wasn’t aware there was an annual swabbing programme.

Reading several different newspapers, I've seen articles that have reported that covid-19 statistics make the death numbers compiled seem greater than they are? Its been noted that one can be admitted into hospital with underlying health problems and unfortunately die but Covid 19 is recorded on the death certificate with sometimes the other health problems recorded as secondary cause of death! Flu deaths - makes one think!

The figures published don’t rely on self reporting but are based on a large number of swabs taken across the population. This happens every year and is one of the main ways we get information about the prevalence of flu annually. I believe our public health surveillance systems like this are much respected across the world and used as a model by those wanting to develop their systems

Many more people (including younger age groups) were given the flu vaccine this year. So that must have helped along with the distancing. If only people would continue to wash hands frequently and properly. I still remember my disgust at public facilities with no proper hand washing facilities and people ignoring signs to wash their hands.

Interesting and hopefully with enhanced hygiene measures now a part of “normal” life that will continue.

But I wonder just how accurate the figures can be. In the few times in my adult life when I’ve been floored with a full on dose of flu it wouldn’t have entered my mind to consult a doctor and it wouldn’t have been on record.

Since 2018 before the pandemic there have been notices up at our local clinic. Informing patients to keep away from the clinic with flu symptoms. Even if it went to the chest we were refused antibiotics. I do know they can’t be taken for every illness but if it ends up as a chest infection it can lead to other problems.
The news sounds good on paper but really people aren’t accessing surgeries easily so those vulnerable are left at risk.

Ellianne if you read the link I posted you will see that it says not a single case of flu detected in England since 1st January 2021. That is a lot different to saying not one single case “completely, anywhere”. I have no reason to think PHE are lying about it.