BBC
Joseph said his experience gave a whole new meaning to the word influenza.
“I’ve never felt so sick in my life, and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone,” Joseph Sullivan says of his experience with the flu.
Joseph, 26, spent 24 hours in hospital last Christmas and believes the outcome could have been much worse had he not been vaccinated.
A type 1 diabetic with an autoimmune liver disease from Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan, has joined health authorities in urging thousands of people to get the flu vaccination this winter.
Nearly three-quarters of over-65s were vaccinated last year, but only 39% of vulnerable younger people received a flu shot.
More people are expected to get sick with the flu this winter, with up to 1,000 flu patients a week potentially in hospital beds.
It’s been seven years since flu cases in the region reached their highest level, overshadowed by the coronavirus pandemic and a period when human interactions were drastically reduced.
But health officials are not complacent. Last winter, the number of people in hospital beds with influenza peaked in February at 250 people a week.
The most likely scenario is that about 440 influenza patients will be hospitalized per week this winter.
Looking at mortality rates, over the past 12 months there have been almost three times as many deaths from influenza and pneumonia as from coronavirus.
“In many ways, when people get really serious infections and end up in hospital or actually die, that could have been prevented if they had gotten the free vaccine. It’s a tragedy,” said Dr. Chris Johnson. , is leading the vaccination program for Public Health Wales (PHW).
In addition to the flu, hospitals may face additional pressure from an increase in coronavirus patients, a number that waxes and wanes throughout the year.
This could increase hospitalizations from 24 to 156 people per day.
There is additional pressure from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and children under five are particularly vulnerable. Scientists modeled up to 63 hospital admissions per day this winter with severe cold-like symptoms and loss of appetite.
With all three viruses combined, the most likely scenario could see daily hospitalizations peak at 126 people in early January.
“We know that these diseases are really, really life-threatening in some cases, leading to hospitalization and illness, but they just cause disruption to people’s lives and could be avoided with a simple vaccination. ” said Dr. Johnson.
He aims to reach 467,000 people in Wales who are clinically classified as at risk, targeting conditions such as asthma, COPD, diabetes, liver and respiratory diseases.
Although he was in the hospital for only 24 hours, Joseph said it took about five to six weeks to fully recover and he lost about 8 kilograms.
“It was the sickest I’ve ever been.”
Joseph is one of 99,000 people living with diabetes in Wales. They are six times more likely to die from influenza and are at higher risk of contracting COVID-19.
He was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2016, his freshman year of college, and an autoimmune liver disease the following year, making him more vulnerable.
He was managing his health well, but last Christmas he was hospitalized with the flu.
“Even if my arm hurts (from the vaccine), I’d still rather get the vaccine than get the flu,” said Joseph, who works at a startup called Love to Visit.
“It’s probably the worst I’ve had so far, and it’s made me more cautious going into this winter. I want to do everything I can to never get the flu again.”
Last year, he attended his brother’s wedding the week before Christmas, felt unwell for a few days afterwards and took a job in A&E.
“My blood sugar levels were sky high, probably the worst I’ve ever been in my life, it was horrible.
“I started getting the flu shot after I was diagnosed with diabetes, which is something I’ve always had and I’m glad I had it now because I don’t know what would have happened if I hadn’t. Because I’m afraid to think about it.”
“Obviously, I’m diabetic. I don’t really mind needles and I’m used to being poked, but it’s definitely worth getting a needle in your arm and feeling the pain for a few days than getting the flu.” ”
Who will receive the vaccine?
Flu and coronavirus vaccines are available to everyone with a health condition that puts them at risk, people over 65 or in care homes, pregnant women, people with learning disabilities and people who are homeless. Influenza vaccines are being provided to children on the front lines. The RSV vaccine is also offered to pregnant women and women in their late 70s.
Winter pressure modeling also points to the impact of respiratory illnesses on emergency department visits, which could reach between 261 and 511 visitors each day at their peak.
The same report, produced for the Welsh Government, suggests that the cost of living crisis and accelerating poverty could impact groups more vulnerable to influenza and coronavirus.