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Strikes could collapse flu-hit NHS amid worst crisis since Covid, says {UK Secretary of State for Health and Social Care} Streeting
The Guardian ^ | Fri 12 Dec 2025 | Jamie Grierson

Posted on 12/12/2025 7:11:26 AM PST by Salman

Wes Streeting has told resident doctors that strikes and a sharp rise in the number of flu cases over the Christmas period could be “the Jenga piece” that forces the NHS to collapse.

The health secretary said the NHS faced a “challenge unlike any it has seen since the pandemic” and urged resident doctors to accept the government’s offer and end their action.

He said: “The whole NHS team is working around the clock to keep the show on the road. But it’s an incredibly precarious situation. Christmas strikes could be the Jenga piece that collapses the tower. That’s why I am appealing directly to resident doctors to accept the government’s offer.”

NHS figures published on Thursday showed flu cases at a record level for the time of year after jumping 55% in a week to an average 2,660 patients in hospital each day last week.

Resident doctors are to strike from 17-22 December, although members of the British Medical Association (BMA) union are voting on a new offer from the government that could put a stop to the action.

...

(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: nhs; unions
Just in time for Christmas.
1 posted on 12/12/2025 7:11:26 AM PST by Salman
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To: Salman

Secure your border ,D’oh


2 posted on 12/12/2025 7:12:40 AM PST by butlerweave (Fateh)
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To: Salman

Flu cases are definitely spiking early. One issue is that the vaccine was a total mismatch this year.


3 posted on 12/12/2025 7:13:28 AM PST by 1Old Pro
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To: Salman
Oh puleeze.
Who the heck goes on admission to hospital because of an ordinary flu?
I don't even report it, let alone go on admission because of it.
4 posted on 12/12/2025 8:05:26 AM PST by SmokingJoe
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To: SmokingJoe

SmokingJoe wrote: “Oh puleeze. Who the heck goes on admission to hospital because of an ordinary flu?
I don’t even report it, let alone go on admission because of it.”

Flu can kill. The flu killed 7757 in the UK in 2024.


5 posted on 12/12/2025 8:22:12 AM PST by DugwayDuke (Most pick the expert who says the things thePy agree with.)
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To: Salman

One problem with monopolies, such as NHS, is that an attack that shuts them down affects everyone.


6 posted on 12/12/2025 8:25:54 AM PST by Cincinnatus.45-70 (What do DemocRats enjoy more than a truckload of dead babies? Unloading them with a pitchfork!)
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To: DugwayDuke

Grok:

“The case fatality rate (CFR) for seasonal influenza — the percentage of diagnosed or symptomatic infections that result in death — is generally low, typically around 0.1% (or 1 death per 1,000 infections).”

I’ll take my chances.


7 posted on 12/12/2025 8:26:49 AM PST by SmokingJoe
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To: Salman

Let’s here it for socialized medicine.

You may be the patient, but your health care professionals do NOT work for you.


8 posted on 12/12/2025 8:27:46 AM PST by mewzilla (Swing away, Mr. President, swing away! 🇺🇸 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 )
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To: SmokingJoe

At first symptoms, call the dr and ask for Tamiflu. All viruses can cause Myocarditis. The Spanish Flu killed 1-2% of the world’s population in one year (1918).


9 posted on 12/12/2025 8:31:25 AM PST by AppyPappy (They don't call you a Nazi because they think you are one. They do it to justify violence. )
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To: AppyPappy
Grok:

No, the Spanish flu (the 1918–1920 pandemic) is not the same as today's seasonal flu, though they are closely related.

The Spanish flu was caused by a specific strain of influenza A virus (H1N1 subtype) that emerged suddenly, likely of avian origin, and was novel to humans at the time. This made it highly virulent, infecting about one-third of the world's population and killing an estimated 50–100 million people worldwide, with a case fatality rate around 2–3% or higher in its deadliest wave. It was unusual in several ways:

10 posted on 12/12/2025 8:43:43 AM PST by SmokingJoe
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To: 1Old Pro

The vaccine mismatch is common. Actual vaccine factories have dwindled. So, only a few strains can be ...... targeted.

Do not count on any flu vaccine to be worthwhile. Just give it up. It has become nothing more than a funding program to skim.


11 posted on 12/12/2025 8:49:02 AM PST by bobbo666
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To: DugwayDuke

Yes, flu can kill. But, I don’t believe any number from UK NHS — these are the same clowns who identified WuhanFlu deaths when it was a heart attack.

No flu death stat since 2019 is valid — all the numbers are cooked. Cooked to support the Vax — which is NOT a vaccine.


12 posted on 12/12/2025 8:51:05 AM PST by bobbo666
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To: bobbo666
The vaccine mismatch is common.

Yes, typically they are closer to 30% effective, I suspect this year it's closer to 5%

13 posted on 12/12/2025 8:52:33 AM PST by 1Old Pro
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To: 1Old Pro
Flu cases are definitely spiking early. One issue is that the vaccine was a total mismatch this year.

Plus, this year they aren't calling it Covid.

14 posted on 12/12/2025 10:24:15 AM PST by TangoLimaSierra (⭐⭐To the Left, the Truth is Right Wing Violence⭐⭐)
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To: SmokingJoe
(or 1 death per 1,000 infections).”

Which would be over 340,000 in the US.

15 posted on 12/12/2025 10:28:00 AM PST by TangoLimaSierra (⭐⭐To the Left, the Truth is Right Wing Violence⭐⭐)
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To: TangoLimaSierra
Grok:

Key Estimates for the 2024–2025 Season

CDC Modeled Estimate (through April 26, 2025): Influenza likely caused 38,000–99,000 deaths during the season to date. This range accounts for symptomatic illnesses, medical visits, and hospitalizations extrapolated from surveillance networks like FluSurv-NET (covering ~10% of the U.S. population). The wide range reflects ongoing circulation and data limitations early in the season.

CDC Surveillance Count (through August 30, 2025): 18,399 deaths had influenza listed as an underlying or contributing cause on death certificates, per the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) Mortality Surveillance System. This represents 0.7% of all 2,784,349 U.S. deaths during the period, with a peak of 2.8% of weekly deaths in mid-February 2025.

16 posted on 12/12/2025 10:38:52 AM PST by SmokingJoe
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To: bobbo666

bobbo666 wrote: “Yes, flu can kill. But, I don’t believe any number from UK NHS — these are the same clowns who identified WuhanFlu deaths when it was a heart attack. No flu death stat since 2019 is valid — all the numbers are cooked. Cooked to support the Vax — which is NOT a vaccine.”

Yet you believe every misleading myth from the anti-vaxxer grifters.


17 posted on 12/12/2025 10:59:07 AM PST by DugwayDuke (Most pick the expert who says the things thePy agree with.)
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