Increase in flu cases at Blackpool Victoria Hospital

Hospital chiefs say they have seen a surge in the number of flu cases – while ‘vaccine fatigue’ has been blamed for fewer health workers protecting themselves against the virus.

The number of cases at Blackpool Victoria Hospital was between 30 and 40 a day before Christmas, but has now risen to 76 with many patients hit quite badly by the illness.

A meeting of the Blackpool Teaching Hospitals (BTH) board of directors was also told only around 38 per cent of staff had taken up the opportunity of having a flu vaccine.

This compared to some other hospitals where take up was around the 76 per cent mark, but it was suggested staff had become lethargic about the idea of having more vaccines.

Marie Forshaw, acting executive director of nursing, midwifery, allied health professionals and quality at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals, said in terms of flu the hospital had seen a “rising trajectory” despite putting preventative measures in place including asking visitors and staff to wear masks.

Staff had also been urged to take up flu vaccines but Ms Forshaw added: “I am disappointed to say our uptake is only at 38.5 per cent”. She said there was “a systemic problem in terms of staff understanding the importance of flu vaccines not just to protect themselves and their families, but in terms of protecting our patients.”

BTH board chairman James Wilkie said: “It seems bizarre to me that we have got health care professionals that are seeing the impact on a daily basis, but yet apparently don’t seem to recognise that they themselves being vaccinated could contribute to a reduction in the problem.”

Ms Forshaw said there were no easy answers but “people do talk about people being vaccine fatigued post Covid.”

The meeting also heard research into why people had not taken up the vaccine in previous years showed “vaccine fatigue” and some fears people could be made ill by the vaccine itself.