Charity warns rapid rise in flu cases could put millions with lung conditions at risk

Asthma + Lung UK is warning people with lung conditions to get their flu jab as hospital admissions for people with the virus continue to rise this week, putting additional pressure on the NHS.

Latest surveillance figures show almost a 40% increase in the number of people being admitted to hospital with flu in England since last week, with a 64% rise in the number of A & E attendances and a 31% surge in those over the age of 85 being hospitalised with the virus.¹

Meanwhile, there has been a five percent drop in the number of people in the ‘at risk’ group being vaccinated against flu compared to the same period last year, which includes people with lung conditions like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).¹

In a survey by Asthma + Lung UK, 80 per cent of people with asthma and 68 per cent with COPD questioned said colds and flu were triggers for their condition.²

Asthma + Lung UK is now urging those with lung conditions to ensure they have the flu jab – as well as other winter vaccines they may be eligible for – to safeguard their health.

Emma Rubach, Head of Health Advice at the charity, said:  

“It is worrying that flu levels are rising and makes it more crucial that people with lung conditions protect themselves by getting their free flu vaccine if they are eligible. This winter, millions of people with lung conditions face a triple threat of flu, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). For some people with lung conditions, being exposed to any of these, or a combination, can cause a flare-up of symptoms and make them more vulnerable to illnesses.  

“For those with asthma, being exposed to a trigger like flu could potentially lead to a life-threatening asthma attack, or in the case of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a worsening of symptoms which can lead to hospitalisation. Because of these risks, Asthma + Lung UK is urging people with lung conditions to get their flu jab and any other winter vaccinations they might be entitled to, to help them stay well this winter.   

“We also want people with asthma and COPD to make sure they are taking their medicines as prescribed, including using their preventer inhaler daily even when they feel well, as this builds up protection in their airways over time, and carrying their reliever inhaler with them. It is also a good idea to avoid contact with people who have cold or flu symptoms.”  

Latest figures from the UKHSA show a 60 per cent increase in the number of people attending GP consultations with flu symptoms this week compared to the same week last year. Daily A and E attendances at hospitals have also shot up by a staggering 64 per cent this week – 4.5 times higher - compared to the same week last year.¹  

Last month, the number of people aged six to 65 in the at-risk group in England having their flu vaccine by the end of October had dropped by more than 13 percent this year, compared to the same time last year.³

Those with lung conditions like asthma or COPD are seven times more likely to die if they catch flu compared to healthy adults and combined with colder weather conditions and other winter viruses circulating this year such as COVID-19, this creates a ‘triple danger’ situation for the 7.2 million people with asthma and 1.4 million people living with COPD.^4,5,6

Mum-of-two Cathy Hateley, 47, knows how important it is to have the flu jab. Her mum, Pam, had asthma and was just 56 when she died from flu after missing her vaccine. Now Cathy, who also has asthma, ensures she is always protected.

“Mum had very bad asthma so had the flu vaccine each year as even a cold could put her in hospital. The one time she didn’t manage to have it she came down with a chest infection and flu and died just a few days later,” explains Cathy. “I can’t help thinking it might not have happened if she’d had the vaccine. Would she still be here with us today watching her grandchildren growing up? It’s why I always make sure I have my jab around flu season each year. I know just how dangerous flu can be and people with lung conditions need to take it seriously, even if they’ve never had flu.”

Pam had been diagnosed with asthma as a child and had always managed her condition well. But then, at the age of 40, she got pneumonia which caused long term damage to her lungs.

“From then on mum’s asthma was much worse,” says Cathy, from Staffordshire. “She was in and out of hospital a lot when my sister and I were teenagers and had to be put into an induced coma twice because her asthma got so bad. By the time I was 18 she struggled so much with her breathing she had to use a wheelchair to get around.”

With nebulisers and oxygen at home, Pam managed her asthma as best as she could but would need to go into hospital whenever she got a chest infection or cold because it would affect her so badly. She made sure she had the flu vaccine every year to protect herself. But the year she died, she missed the jab as she was unwell for her appointment.

“It was the only time she ever missed the vaccine and hadn’t had a chance to rebook then she fell ill,” explains Cathy.

Sadly, Pam came down with flu in the run up to Christmas, which affected her asthma, and she had to go into to hospital. Within days she was on life support and put into an induced coma. Then her organs began shutting down and the doctors said they could do no more for her. Cathy and her sister were called in on Christmas Eve to be given the devastating news.

“We were told that the best thing would be to turn off the life support machine and let Mum go peacefully. It was the worse news I’d ever been given,” says Cathy. “But she died anyway not long after.

“The cause of death on her death certificate was listed as influenza,” adds Cathy. “A healthy person perhaps would have been able to fight it, but mum’s asthma and lung damage meant she couldn’t. I kept thinking, ‘If only she’d had the jab’, but of course it was too late.”

Since then, Cathy says there isn’t single Christmas that goes by when she doesn’t think of her mother, and she is urging others with lung conditions to make sure they have their flu jab.  
“If there is one piece of advice I could give to anyone with asthma or another lung condition it’s that they shouldn’t take the risk,” says Cathy. “Have the vaccine. Your life might end up depending on it.”

Asthma + Lung UK has advice on reducing the risk of catching flu on its website at www.asthmaandlung.org.uk and advises:

If you would like to receive tailored advice about how to look after your lung condition over winter, please visit: www.asthmaandlung.org.uk/notjustaseason  

ENDS

References: 
1. UKHSA Official Statistics. National flu and COVID-19 surveillance report 12 December (week 50) 

2. From Asthma + Lung UK’s Life With a Lung Condition Survey 2024 80 percent of people with asthma and 68 percent with COPD questioned, said colds and flu were triggers for their condition 

3. Figures in table below from Seasonal influenza vaccine uptake in GP patients: monthly data, 2024 to 2025, UK Health Security Agency. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/seasonal-influenza-vaccine-upt…   
 

4. Data from Public Health England: People with long-term health conditions urged to get flu vaccine before Christmas - GOV.UK. Accessed 13 December. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/people-with-long-term-health-conditions-urged-to-get-flu-vaccine-before-christmas 

5. Figure calculated using data from Health Survey for England 2018, Health Survey Northern Ireland, Scottish Health Survey 2021 and Welsh Health Survey 2015.   
  
6. Stone et al. Prevalence of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in England from 2000 to 2019. Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis. 2023. Accessed here Prevalence of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in England from 2000 to 2019 - PubMed