![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0_child-hospital-getty.jpg\")
A leading doctor has warned that children die every year from flu(Image: Getty Images)<\/p>\n“Unfortunately, it can kill. Children do die every year from flu, so it is definitely not just a bad cold.”<\/p>\n
11:35, 12 Nov 2025Updated 11:35, 12 Nov 2025<\/p>\n
A leading doctor has warned that children die every year from flu(Image: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Leading doctors have issued an urgent warning to parents amid concerns over a ‘particularly bad’ flu season.<\/p>\n
Even healthy children have become seriously ill with flu, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) warned, urging parents to get their children the nasal spray that protects against flu.<\/p>\n
It comes as the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) warned a new strain of flu is driving an ‘unusually early’ surge<\/a> in cases.<\/p>\n Health officials said a ‘drifted’ influenza A(H3N2) strain, also now known as subclade K, currently dominates cases in England. This mutated strain is said to be more contagious and more severe<\/a> than other strains, sparking concerns the UK could be heading for one of its toughest flu seasons<\/a> in years.<\/p>\n Health leaders warned that data points to hospital activity already reaching levels that are not usually seen until December. This includes rising rates of hospital admissions among younger children.<\/p>\n Dr Helen Stewart, RCPCH officer for health improvement, told PA: “This year it’s looking like a particularly bad season \u2013 rates of flu are much higher at this point than they were at this point last year. And we know that there’s been some changes to the flu virus circulating, which means that people might be more susceptible to infection.<\/p>\n “So it’s just really important that everyone gets vaccinated, because it’s looking like it’s going to be a bad year.<\/p>\n “No parent wants to have to take their child to hospital and be sat in a busy waiting room for ages, and the more young people that we can protect and prevent from having to do that, the better.”<\/p>\n The emergency care doctor added: “Unfortunately, it’s not just the elderly and people with chronic, long-term health conditions that get flu, it can make previously very fit and well children very, very poorly. Thousands of kids need to go to hospital because they have flu every year.<\/p>\n “We’re really keen that everybody gets flu vaccines. It’s not just it’s protecting them as well, protecting those around them \u2013 so a young child getting vaccinated could protect their elderly relatives that they come into contact with.”<\/p>\n She added: “I mean, unfortunately, it can kill. Children do die every year from flu, so it is definitely not just a bad cold.<\/p>\n “The main complications that we see are pneumonia, so a severe chest infection needing breathing support, and that can tip over into sepsis and very extreme cases. I’ve seen some very, very sick children going to intensive care with flu.”<\/p>\n![\"Most](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0_Pharmacies-can-now-offer-free-nasal-flu-vaccine-for-toddlers.jpg\")
Most children are offered the nasal spray flu vaccine(Image: Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"a](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0_Winter-pressures-on-the-NHS.jpg\")
Flu infections and hospitalisations are on the rise in the UK(Image: PA)<\/p>\n