New data published as a pre-print by the UKHSA shows the 2025/26 vaccine is currently 70 to 75% effective at preventing hospital attendance in children aged 2 to 17 years and 30 to 40% effective in adults.

As we said in our press release, these results provide reassuring evidence that this season’s flu vaccines currently offer important protection to children and adults, despite concerns about the new subclade. The high vaccine effectiveness in children strengthens the case for ensuring all eligible young people get vaccinated. When more children are protected, it helps stop the spread of flu to others around them.

Importantly, whatever strains do circulate here this winter, we can be confident that the vaccine will still help to protect those most vulnerable from developing serious illness and being hospitalised. We strongly encourage all those eligible to get vaccinated against flu as soon as possible – it remains our best defence against serious illness.

You can also read more about how effective flu vaccines are in preventing serious illness in our new blog, ‘how well will I be protected from flu this year with the current UK influenza vaccines?’.

We are now publishing our COVID-19, flu and RSV surveillance bulletin every Thursday afternoon. This brings together the latest surveillance data, along with the latest public health advice for COVID-19, flu, RSV and other respiratory infections. This helps inform winter preparedness and response.

The latest surveillance report shows that that flu cases are continuing to rise following an early start to the season, with further increases in children and young adults. Although the school half-term break may have helped slow transmission temporarily, it’s expected that the rise will accelerate further in the coming weeks, with many people still unvaccinated whilst flu hospitalisations increase.

In week 43: 

• influenza activity increased; this is an unusually early start to the flu season, but levels remain low for the time being  
• COVID-19 activity decreased and is circulating at baseline levels
• respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) activity increased but is still circulating at baseline levels

As flu activity continues to increase, we are urging all eligible groups to come forward for their free flu vaccination ahead of the winter months. 

DHSC, UKHSA & NHS England's campaign continues to encourage people who are most vulnerable to stay strong and get vaccinated against flu.

The campaign targets people with conditions including heart, kidney and lung disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, neurological conditions and immunosuppression. 

The campaigns assets can be downloaded from the Campaign Resource Centre. The campaign uses the analogy of suits of armour protecting those vaccinated from the effects of flu. Each condition is displayed as a coat of arms to reinforce recognition.

These have been incorporated into our Winter Health Stakeholder Communications Toolkit 2025/26. This has been developed jointly by UKHSA and NHS England, designed to help with your communications around seasonal vaccines. 

The toolkit is available to download from the Campaign Resource Centre. You can also download from GoogleDrive. 

Please let us know if you cannot access and we can email over the Word or PDF version.

A report published today by UKHSA demonstrates the impact climate change is already having on the mental health of the UK population.

This report synthesises the evidence base in relation to climate change and mental health for the UK population and explores interventions to support mental health in relation to climate-related events. 

It warns that the risks will increase as the climate warms and extreme weather events become more frequent and severe. Climate warming will exacerbate mental health inequalities, with impacts greatest on rural and agricultural communities and young people.

Crucially this report highlights there is much we can do to minimise the adverse impacts from climate change on mental health and we hope that it will help galvanise activity and lead to coordinated action in this area.

For further information on this report we are hosting a webinar on Thursday 20 November, 13:30 - 15:00. Attendees can hear more detail on the findings of the report and have an opportunity to ask questions.

Professor Chris Whitty, the Chief Medical Officer for England, has published a comprehensive report examining the health of people in prison, on probation and in the secure NHS estate. Produced in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice, HM Prison and Probation Service, NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care, the report identifies significant health disparities in this population. UKHSA contributed to chapter 12 on health protection in prisons and probation.

The report notes recent improvements in healthcare provision, but identifies persistent barriers including gaps in services, poor data flows and critical risk points during transitions. The ageing prison population means age-related health problems are increasingly common. Key areas requiring improvement include care for pregnant women, prisoners with chronic or preventable infections, mental health issues and those needing palliative care, with joint action between healthcare and justice professionals needed to implement best practice across all settings.

UKHSA  have published the Management of tuberculosis in secure settings in England - GOV.UK guidance. This guidance is intended to support the collaborative approach to prevention, diagnosis and management of tuberculosis (TB) in secure settings. It outlines how to detect and manage cases, notify necessary stakeholders of TB cases and manage outbreaks, including preventing new cases in residents and staff.

To mark the publication of this updated guidance, the Health and Justice team at UKHSA hosted a webinar ‘Launch of the Management of Tuberculosis (TB) in Secure Settings in England Guidance’. The recording of this webinar can be viewed online.

Norovirus activity has varied in recent weeks but remains within expected levels.

The rate remained highest among children aged 0 to 4 years.

As we approach the colder months, it’s important to remember the simple steps we can all take to prevent norovirus spreading.

Our blog helps to explain more about norovirus, what to do if you catch it, and how to help stop the spread.

UKHSA is aware of small numbers of locally-acquired cases of clade Ib mpox in the USA, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and Portugal which have no connection to countries with known clade Ib mpox transmission.  This suggests there is now community transmission of clade Ib mpox globally. Most of the new cases identified in Europe and the USA have been in gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, a population in which clade Ib mpox transmission has not previously been observed.  

Mpox is usually a mild infection, and clade Ia and Ib mpox are no longer classified as a high-consequence infectious disease (HCID). However, it can be severe in some cases. 

The UK has a routine mpox vaccination programme in place for eligible groups, including those who:  

• have multiple sexual partners  
• have group sex  
• visit sex-on-premises venues  

We are encouraging those eligible to protect themselves by getting vaccinated.

Further information:

• People can check if they are are eligible, or book an appointment, by visiting Mpox vaccine - NHS.   
• UKHSA has robust mechanisms in place to investigate suspected cases of mpox of all clade types, irrespective of travel history, with regular updates on confirmed UK cases of mpox.  
• UKHSA has published a technical assessment on mpox to reflect the latest epidemiology. 
• Further information about symptoms is available on the NHS website.  

Latest UKHSA data reveals 378 cases of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) were confirmed in 2024-25. The data shows children and young adults, particularly university students remain at risk. Whilst meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia are rare, they can be devastating, life changing and sometimes deadly.

Two vaccines protect against the main causes of meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia. The MenB vaccine is offered to infants at 8 weeks, 12 weeks and one year of age, as part of routine NHS vaccinations. The MenACWY vaccine protects teenagers against four strains and is usually given in school Year 9 (aged 13 to 14). All teenagers remain eligible for the MenACWY jab until their 25th birthday, so they can get the vaccine if they missed out at school. 

Our new blog explores what is meningitis, including the symptoms, risks and how to protect yourself. 

On Monday, UKHSA & NHS England published a joint letter detailing the changes to the routine childhood vaccination programme from 1 January 2026. Annexe A provides information and resources to support implementation.

The changes include the introduction of a routine varicella (chickenpox) vaccination programme for children at one year and at 18 months, with a selective catch-up for children aged up to 6 years, using a combined measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (MMRV) vaccine.

On Wednesday 3 December 2025, 14:00 – 15:15, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) Immunisation Team will be hosting a webinar to inform you of the second phase of the changes to the routine childhood vaccination schedule.

This webinar is aimed at health professionals involved in the commissioning and delivery of childhood immunisations including those working in primary care, screening and immunisation teams, health visiting teams and integrated care boards (ICBs).

Please register your interest for attending this webinar via Microsoft Forms. 

This webinar will be recorded (please register for the recording using the same form).