PublicHealthMatters

As we brace ourselves for chillier days and look forward to more indoor gatherings and seasonal social events with friends and family, now is the ideal time to remind ourselves of guidance on vaccination, isolation, good respiratory etiquette, mask wearing, and other behaviours that can reduce the spread of respiratory infections known to peak during … Read more

Natural gas burns orange yellow with a ‘floppy’ flame when there is a lack of oxygen, which means there is danger of carbon monoxide poisoning As the weather turns colder and we close our windows and turn on our heating, there’s an invisible danger that can leak into our homes. Carbon monoxide (CO) is a … Read more

You may wonder why you need to have a flu vaccine every year, and how effective the flu vaccines are in preventing you from becoming seriously unwell. The vaccines help protect those most vulnerable from developing serious illness and being hospitalized and we strongly encourage all those eligible to get vaccinated against flu as soon … Read more

Meningitis is a serious condition where the protective layers (meninges) around the brain and spinal cord become inflamed. It has many causes, such as different germs, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi. In the UK, most cases are due to bacteria or viruses. Some of the bacteria that cause meningitis can also lead to septicaemia (blood … Read more

We see cases of flu, RSV and COVID-19 throughout the year, but in winter they circulate at the same time and can reach high levels.   We also track other respiratory viruses – rhinovirus, adenovirus, human metapneumovirus (hMPV) and parainfluenza – that can also peak over the autumn and winter months.   There are vaccines to help protect … Read more

As we enter autumn, rates of respiratory illnesses start to rise and people ask how the most common current  lineages  -  or groups of genetically similar viruses  -  compare to previous COVID-19 variants.   What have we seen so far?  The most common current variants are the XFG and NB.1.8.1 (sometimes referred to in the media as the … Read more

As we approach autumn, it’s nearly time for people with certain long-term health conditions to be booked in for their free flu jab. Individuals with these conditions are at risk of more severe outcomes if they catch flu. If you’re eligible, you need to know why it matters that you take up the offer.  Flu … Read more

Oropouche virus disease is a lesser-known tropical infection that’s been spreading across Central and South America in recent years. If you’re planning to travel to the region, or are just curious about this emerging health concern, here’s everything you need to know. How you catch Oropouche virus disease Oropouche virus disease is caused by the … Read more

Chikungunya may not be a household name, but this mosquito-borne viral infection has become a significant concern for travellers to some destinations. The disease, whose name derives from the Kimakonde (a language of Southern Tanzania) word meaning ‘that which bends up’ due to the severe joint pain it causes, has spread across the globe in … Read more

While many of us revel in the hot summer sunshine, others are at risk of developing heat-related complications such as sunstroke and heatstroke. In this blog post we will outline how heat affects the body and look at some of the reasons why you could be at higher risk of becoming unwell in hot weather. How … Read more