The UKHSA has issued advice for anyone celebrating Diwali (Image: Getty)
Brits who will be celebrating Diwali have been urged to book vaccinations to avoid a winter bug ruining any festive plans. Diwali is an annual multi-day festival of lights celebrated by millions of Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains worldwide, and this year it falls on November 8. With just a week left until the celebration, the UK Health Security Agency is calling on people to get their flu, COVID-19, and RSV vaccinations, if eligible, so they can be protected during Diwali and throughout winter.
It is important to note that these vaccinations can take several days to provide maximum protection, so Brits should get them done as soon as possible. The UKHSA said that the current levels of the three major winter respiratory viruses are low. However, it is expected that flu will increase during November.
Dr Gayatri Amirthalingam, Deputy Director of Immunisation at the UK Health Security Agency, said: “The Diwali season is a cherished time when families and friends come together to celebrate and exchange greetings. However, it also coincides with the start of winter when flu and other respiratory viruses are often circulating. We strongly encourage members of the Hindu, Jain and Sikh communities to prioritise their health by getting vaccinated if eligible, helping them to stay winter-proof.”
If people are eligible for the flu, COVID-19, or RSV vaccines, it is because they are at greater risk of serious illness from these diseases and of ending up in the hospital.
With temperatures dropping, more people are likely to spend time socialising indoors rather than outside, increasing the risk of airborne respiratory viruses spreading. Therefore, it is crucial that they stay protected.
The UKHSA added: “Vaccination teams across England are working to protect millions most at risk of getting seriously ill this winter. Taking up the vaccines means you have taken steps to minimise the chances of experiencing serious illness and being hospitalised, as well as helping to stop the spread to family, friends and your community.”
The 2026 flu vaccination programme is open (Image: Getty)
Who is eligible for a free NHS flu vaccine?
A free NHS flu vaccine is available to:
- those aged 65 and over
- under 65s in clinical risk groups
- care home residents and carers
- close contacts of those who are immunosuppressed
- frontline health and social care workers
- children and pregnant women
The COVID-19 vaccine is also available free to those aged 75 and over, individuals who are immunosuppressed, and residents in care homes for older adults.
People aged 75 and over, and pregnant women are also eligible for an RSV vaccination, with the maternal vaccine not only protecting the mother but passing protection through the placenta for new-borns in their first few months when they are most at risk of severe illness from RSV.
Booked appointments and walk-in sessions are available across local pharmacies, GP practices and community clinic drop-in centres across the country, and appointments can be booked via the NHS App, GPs, online at Book, change or cancel a flu vaccination appointment or Book, change or cancel a COVID-19 vaccination appointment, or by calling 119.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
