Brits given urgent 'stay home, wear mask' warning as cases of infections rise
Brits are being urged to take action against the spike of winter bugs currently sweeping the country. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued a new alert on Thursday morning (January 30).
It warned of illnesses including flu, Covid, RSV, norovirus, the less familiar hMPV and, of course, the common cold. With these viruses proving to be highly infectious and spreading rapidly, the UKHSA urge the public to stay at home or mask up when going outside, reports the Mirror.
A post on X on Thursday morning warned: "During winter, lots of illnesses like #Norovirus and #Flu spread easily. If you're unwell, there are actions you can take to reduce the risk of spreading infections to others."
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UKHSA pointed people to further information on the viruses that are currently taking the UK by storm. It's not unusual to see these germs year-round, but the organisation said that in winter, these illnesses circulate at the same time, causing high levels of infection.
Those in vulnerable or high-risk groups are offered vaccines against flu, Covid and RSV, the UKHSA said.
It explained: "Staying at home when you have symptoms of flu or COVID-19 helps protect those who are vulnerable. If you need to go out when unwell, consider wearing a mask around other people.
"Simple measures like catching coughs and sneezes in a tissue, regular handwashing, and opening a window when meeting others indoors can all help reduce the spread of respiratory infections."
Differences between RSV, flu and Covid
RSV
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major respiratory virus that is common over the winter period, and it can spread through coughs and sneezes, according to the UKHSA. Symptoms include coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, tiredness and fever.
While most will experience mild symptoms, RSV can lead to bronchiolitis in infants, which can make it difficult for them to breathe and feed. RSV can also cause pneumonia in older people, as well as flare-ups of existing lung disease.
Flu
Flu is a viral infection which affects the nose, throat and lungs. It is far worse than an ordinary cold, which usually only causes a runny nose, sneezing, watery eyes and throat irritation. A fever or body aches usually occur with flu, but these are not usually symptoms of a cold.
Flu can lead to serious illness, especially in children, and there were more than 8,000 hospitalisations due to the virus last winter. Older people, those with a weakened immune system, and people with long-term health conditions are at higher risk.
Over the past two winters, at least 18,000 deaths were associated with flu, the UKHSA said.
Covid
While for most people Covid is not as severe as during the early years of the pandemic, the virus is still causing severe illness, hospitalisations and deaths – particularly among those with a weakened immune system and certain long-term health conditions.
It is normal for viruses to genetically change over time and the new Covid variants, much like previous strains, can spread easily through droplets released when an infected person coughs, sneezes or speaks.
Many people now experience cold-like symptoms of Covid, according to the UKHSA, but some will also experience fever or chills, continuous cough, shortness of breath, tiredness, body aches, headache, sore throat, blocked nose, loss of appetite, nausea, diarrhoea, or change in sense of taste or smell.
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