Influenza (Flu)

COVID-19 updates: 18 March 2020 – 3 April 2020

All the most important developments in the COVID-19 pandemic for pharmacists and their teams, as they happen.…

Could currently used vaccines protect against COVID-19?

Data published earlier in 2020 suggest that children are at lower risk of experiencing severe symptoms and mortality from COVID-19, as well as suggesting that risk seems to increase with age[1] ,[2] . I have a hypothesis that could explain this: children are being protected b…

COVID-19: Tell us how you are coping

The COVID-19 pandemic has produced an unprecedented workload for pharmacists. How has it affected you, and how are you coping?…

Pharmacies sent 30,000 electronic flu vaccine notifications to GP surgeries in winter 2019/2020

Pharmacists have sent more than 30,000 digital flu vaccine notifications to GP surgeries to date during the 2019/2020 flu season, according to NHS Digital.…

NICE quality standard calls for ‘timely’ flu vaccination data transfer from pharmacists to GPs

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has published a new quality standard for increasing uptake of flu vaccination among eligible groups of patients.…

Pharmacy flu vaccine uptake tops previous year’s figure with three months to go

Almost 1.5 million flu vaccines have been administered under the community pharmacy flu vaccination service in the 2019/2020 winter season, according to the latest statistics from the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee.…

Number of flu cases in general practice rises by more than 1,700 in one week

The number of flu cases has risen by 1,748 in one week, according to data collected by the Royal College of General Practitioners.…

Pharmacists able to dispense antivirals at earliest point in flu season for five years

The government has given pharmacists permission to dispense antiviral medicines at the expense of the NHS, in response to an increase in flu cases.…

Pharmacies told to order flu vaccines from more than one supplier to avoid shortages

The Welsh government has advised pharmacies to order flu vaccines from more than one supplier for the 2020/2021 flu season to avoid shortages.…

Flu vaccination in pregnancy found to be effective in immunising babies

Having a flu vaccination during pregnancy helps to prevent infection and admission to hospital in babies, a study funded by Public Health England has found.…