Public Health Wales has urged everyone eligible for a free flu vaccine to get it as soon as possible, after surveillance data showed influenza is already circulating and the flu season has started. The agency said on 6 November that activity is increasing across Wales, with case numbers expected to rise over the coming weeks.

The season has begun earlier than usual, although not as early as last year, according to Public Health Wales. Flu typically starts to spread in late November or early December, but this year it is already under way while levels are still low, leaving time for people to get protected before the peak.

Figures from the UK Health Security Agency point the same way in England. Its national flu and COVID-19 surveillance report for 5 November, covering data up to week 44, found influenza activity above baseline levels, and a briefing note has been issued to the NHS. Laboratory positivity rose to 7.6 percent on the most recent Sunday, up from 6.8 percent the week before, while GP swabbing positivity stood at 11.1 percent. Emergency department attendances for flu-like illness increased slightly and were above the level expected for the season.

Two strains are circulating in Wales, influenza A(H1) and A(H3), with more A(H1) cases confirmed so far. Public Health Wales said A(H1) can have a greater impact on younger people, including children, pregnant women and those with underlying health conditions, while A(H3) has historically been linked with higher levels of illness in older adults and care home settings. Dr Christopher Johnson, head of the vaccine preventable disease programme at Public Health Wales, said both viruses are circulating, so it is important that everyone eligible takes up the offer of a vaccine.

A free NHS flu vaccine is available to people aged 65 and over, people aged six months to 64 with a long-term health condition, pregnant women, carers, health and social care workers, and people living in care homes. Children aged two and three are also eligible, and school pupils from reception to year 11 are being offered the vaccine through schools. Many people will also be eligible for COVID-19 and RSV vaccines, which together give the best protection against the winter viruses that put the most pressure on the NHS.

Public Health Wales also urged people to wash their hands regularly, cover coughs and sneezes, stay at home when unwell and let fresh air into indoor spaces. Anyone eligible can book a flu vaccine through their GP, a pharmacy or the NHS App.