Thursday, December 01, 2022

UK: NHS Facing `Perfect Storm' As Hospitalized Flu Cases Jump 40% In A Week

 

Credit CDC

#17,144

The triple whammy of COVID, RSV, and influenza which has swept the United States over the past few weeks is also hammering other countries, including the UK, where their NHS (National Health Service) is coming under substantial pressure.  

While we aren't seeing the levels of hospitalization in the United States we were seeing 14 months ago with Delta (see Idaho DOH Expands Crisis Standards of Care Statewide), a few hospitals have been forced to activate their Crisis Standards of Care protocols, including OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland, Oregon.

It is still early in the the winter respiratory season, but today the UK's NHS issued the following statement regarding their current challenges in providing care in the face of this `perfect storm' of winter pressures. 

Thousands of beds taken up every day as NHS contends with ‘perfect storm’ of winter pressures

1 December 2022