A woman left needing a double lung transplant after catching flu has sounded a stark warning as virus rates continue to soar this winter. Claire Davies, from Middlesbrough, feels certain that she is only alive today because she had the flu vaccine.
And she is urging others, particularly the vulnerable, to get their jabs. It comes as figures show hospital admissions for flu have quadrupled when compared to same period last year. As reported, staff at The James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, and the University Hospital of North Tees, in Stockton, will be wearing masks in several wards to keep the "most vulnerable patients safe". The charity Asthma + Lung UK is also urging people with lung conditions to take extra precautions.
Claire, 40, was clinically vulnerable when she caught flu in 2022. She said: "I have no doubt in my mind that if I hadn't had the vaccine I wouldn't be here now. It literally saved my life."
As a child she was diagnosed with two lung conditions - bronchiolitis obliterans and severe cystic bronchiectasis. She used inhalers and nebulisers, and had physiotherapy twice a day, but still led a relatively normal life.
"As an adult, I got a job as a nurse and loved it," she said. "I made sure I had my flu jab every year as I was vulnerable to viruses, but could always manage at home with medication if I got a cough or cold. Then, in 2022, I was struck down with flu and it completely floored me. I was struggling to breathe so much that I had to go to hospital and ended up there for three months on oxygen and medication to help keep me alive."
At one point doctors told Claire there was nothing more they could do. Her oxygen levels were so low she was at risk of dying. "I was so ill I couldn't even talk. It was terrifying," she said.
The flu caused such damage to her lungs that she was left with just 30% capacity. It meant that, by the time she was well enough to leave hospital, Claire had to be on oxygen permanently.
"The specialist told me I was very ill and the only chance I had of surviving long term was a double lung transplant, so I am now on the waiting list for one," she said. "My life has changed completely."
The former nurse now works in a desk-based role from home, carrying out patient experience work. "It's difficult for me to go out, as I have to carry oxygen with me wherever I go," she said.
"It's terrifying not knowing how long I might have left, but all I can do is hope that a donor is found in time. A lot of people don't have the flu jab as they think, oh it's just flu, I'll be fine,' but flu can be deadly, especially for those with pre-existing lung conditions like me. I know I would never have survived it I hadn't have had the vaccine and would urge everyone to get vaccinated. It's just not worth the risk."
Data for the week ending November 20 showed an average of 1,717 hospitalised flu patients, marking a record high for this time of year. On Teesside, North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust has had an average of 26 flu patients over the past seven days while South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has had an average of 17.
According to the UK Health security Agency, a new, mutated strain of influenza has been circulating and may be responsible for many of the flu cases showing up now. Sarah Sleet, CEO at Asthma + Lung UK, said: "Flu rates are soaring as a newly-mutated variant is rapidly spreading across the country.
"Schools have had to close, NHS leaders are calling on people with symptoms to wear a mask in public places, and today's figures show the virus is already driving serious pressure on crowded emergency departments and packed hospital wards. For many of us, flu can leave us bed-bound for days, but for people with pre-existing lung conditions, it can mean being blue-lighted to A&E.
"This year flu will claim thousands of lives in the UK, and we know people with lung conditions are particularly susceptible. Studies have shown people with conditions like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are seven times more likely to die from flu compared to healthy individuals.
"The most important thing you can do to protect yourself is to get vaccinated. The vaccine not only reduces your chance of catching flu, but also the severity of symptoms."
Asthma + Lung UK is also urging people with lung conditions to consider wearing a face mask in crowded or indoor spaces to reduce their chances of catching the virus. the charity has a free Winter Wellness Guide to help people stay well this winter - sign up here.
To book a flu vaccine, visit the NHS website for details.