Ambulance Demand Spikes As Flu Season Worsens

The number of 999 calls successful London has risen complete nan past week, pinch London Ambulance Service (LAS) reporting its 3 busiest days of 2025 successful a row.

The work said nan 20% summation included much calls from group pinch breathing difficulties owed to viral infections and respiratory illnesses specified arsenic nan flu.

NHS figures bespeak less than half of eligible group successful London person had nan free flu vaccine this season.

Experts person predicted nan worst flu play for a decade, fuelled by a caller type of a flu virus.

LAS strategical commandant Laurence Cowderoy said nan work had prepared for wintertime for galore months, but still urged Londoners to "only telephone 999 successful a life-threatening emergency".

He said nan precocious telephone complaint was "more typically seen connected New Year's Eve".

Operations to header pinch demands complete nan wintertime play include:

• 460 ambulances retired connected nan roadworthy during highest demand
• Use of AI
• More telephone appointments
• A redirect strategy wherever patients are moved to easiness unit

Karen Bonner, nan location main caregiver for London, said NHS unit had already seen nan effect of nan caller flu strain pinch group coming into mishap and emergency departments pinch symptoms.

"We cognize it's a beautiful bad flu this twelvemonth – we cognize that from seeing it successful Australia and different places - so, we really want to protect people," she said.

London Ambulance Service calls

Thursday 27 November - 7,356

Friday 28 November - 7,608

Saturday 29 November - 7,409

Sunday 30 November - 6,776

(London Ambulance Service usually takes astir 5,500 calls connected a "typically engaged day")

NHS England reported 1.7 cardinal group person taken up a free flu vaccination truthful acold this play successful London - astir 46% of those eligible.

Who is eligible for nan flu jab?

• pregnant women
• all children aged 2 aliases 3 years connected 31 August 2025
• children pinch definite semipermanent wellness conditions (aged 6 months to little than 18 years)
• primary & secondary schoolhouse aged children (from reception to Year 11)
• all children successful objective consequence groups aged from 6 months to nether 18 years
• everyone aged 65 years and over
• individuals aged 18 to nether 65 pinch definite semipermanent wellness conditions
• care location residents
• carers successful receipt of carer's allowance, aliases those who are nan main carer of an aged aliases abnormal person
• those surviving pinch group who are immunocompromised
• frontline wellness and societal attraction workers