Could we have a surge in flu and coronavirus cases this winter?

Australia and other parts of the southern hemisphere have seen the most 'rampant' flu season during their winter for years. Experts are warning the same could happen in the UK.

The BBC article - Flu and Covid could make this a hard winter for UK reports the UK Health Security Agency chief medical adviser Dr Susan Hopkins as saying that Covid cases "looked like they were turning in all four nations in the UK" and "We do believe we are starting to see our autumn wave of Covid."

The best defence against this is to ensure that those in vulnerable groups are up to date with both their flu and Covid vaccinations.

Covid and flu vaccines are recommended for those at higher risk of illness, which includes:

• everyone over 50
• pregnant women
• people with certain underlying health conditions
• care-home residents
• front-line health and social care workers

However, there is some concern that 'vaccination fatigue' may have set in, with people becoming tired of hearing about getting vaccinated and becoming complement about their own vaccination status.