PHARMACIST EXPLAINS NHS VITAMIN ADVICE AS FLU CASES IN UK ESCALATE

With flu season well and truly upon us again, a pharmacist has explained an important piece of NHS guidance for managing your immune system. At present, the number of people in hospital with flu in England is at a record level for this time of year, as health officials warned the NHS is bracing itself for an "unprecedent wave" of infections.

With that in mind, it's in our best interests that we do everything we can to avoid being admitted ourselves. While cold and flu remedies are normally top of sufferers' priorities, according to pharmacist, Riya, we need to keep on top of our vitamins too - and there's one in particular you should consider.

"Before you rush out and buy your multivitamins, here is what the NHS actually recommends," she began in a TikTok video. Riya continued: "The only supplement recommended for the general population by the NHS is actually Vitamin D - not multivitamins, not Vitamin C, not zinc - just Vitamin D."

• Flu horror hits Brits with huge outbreak - 11 key symptoms after infections 'tidal wave'
• NHS nurse who delivered world’s first Covid-19 vaccine warns ‘we’re getting complacent’

According to the pharmacist, the vitamin benefits us more in the autumn and winter months as we don't receive enough of it naturally due to reduced sunlight hours.

"Whilst Vitamin C is essential for your immune cell function, it doesn't actually prevent you from getting colds and flu and doesn't make the symptoms any milder," Riya elaborated.

She acknowledged, however, that Vitamin C may reduce the length of colds and flu by "half a day", while there "isn't strong enough evidence" for the NHS to recommend zinc as a "routine supplementation".

Riya continued: "So the only recommendation is Vitamin D. The NHS suggests 10 micrograms or 400 units of Vitamin D between October and March. Studies have found that adequate Vitamin D does reduce your risk of respiratory infections, especially in those who are deficient."

An average of 1,717 flu patients were in beds in England each day last week, including 69 in critical care, according to the first of this year’s NHS winter situation reports.

This is 56 per cent higher than the equivalent numbers for the same week in 2024, when the total was 1,098 with 39 in critical care. It is also well above levels seen at this point in both 2023 (243 patients) and 2022 (772).

The NHS has also reported that 30 per cent of patients arriving by ambulance at hospitals in England last week waited at least 30 minutes to be handed over to A&E teams.

Meanwhile, the UK Health Security Agency said respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases have also increased week on week. Hospitalisations rose from 2.38 to 3.75 per 100,000 people, while positive tests increased from 8.7 per cent to 10 per cent.

Positive Covid tests, however, fell from 2.3 per cent to 2.1 per cent, while hospitalisations with Covid increased slightly from 0.88 to 1.03 per 100,000 of the population.

What you need to know about the massive flu outbreak and what 11 symptoms to look out for

• Cases of the new H3N2 flu strain have surged with health NHS chiefs warning of a "tidal wave" of infections ahead of Christmas.
• Hospital admissions for flu are up by about 56 per cent on figures from last year, with the peak season for the illness still due to come.
• Brits eligible for a vaccination have been encouraged to get one in order to prevent more severe symptoms from occurring.
• The UK Health Security Agency said children are around 70 to 75 per cent less likely to be admitted to hospital if vaccinated, and adults are about 30 to 40 per cent less likely to be admitted.
• People who are aged 65 and over, live with long-term health conditions, are pregnant, live in a care home, are carers for an old or disabled person, or who live with someone with a weakened immune system, can book their flu vaccinations here.
• Flu symptoms include: A sudden high temperature, an aching body, feeling tired, a dry cough, a sore throat, a headache, difficulty sleeping, a loss of appetite, diarrhoea or tummy pain or/and feeling sick and being sick.
• Symptoms for children are similar, but they can also get pain in their ear and appear less active.

The NHS' full flu guidance can be found here.

2025-12-08T13:46:01Z