London hospital boss who nearly died from flu urges public to get jabbed

Jacqueline Totterdell said she ‘wouldn’t be alive’ if she hadn’t had her flu vaccine
St George’s Hospital Press Office
Daniel Keane14 October 2022

A London hospital boss has said she "wouldn't be alive" without the flu vaccine as she urged all Londoners to come forward to get their jab.

Jacqueline Totterdell, the CEO of Group Chief Executive of St George's, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals, said the virus was "serious" and called on those eligible to book their vaccination as soon as possible.

Her plea came as NHS England this week invited millions of people aged 50 and over to book their autumn booster and flu vaccines. Britons aged between 50 and 64 are now able to book online or over the phone.

Ms Totterdell, who has asthma, said she was "very close" to being admitted to intensive care after falling ill with flu in December 2019. She spent three weeks in St Barts hospital battling the virus after suffering breathing difficulties.

"I was struggling to breathe and I was panicking. It was touch and go over whether I'd go to intensive care and go onto a ventilator," she told the Standard.

"It wasn't just the three weeks I spent in hospital, I had to spend another three months at home and build my lung capacity back up again. It was 18 months before I became fully functional and fit again."

She added: "I wouldn't be here now if I hadn't had the flu vaccine. It gave me resilience and helped me, as Covid vaccines do.

“Please don’t fall into the trap of thinking flu is just like a heavy cold – I’m proof that it is much more serious, particularly for people in high-risk groups.

"People die of flu every year, so please go and get your jab. It doesn't hurt and it protects you and others around you.”

It comes as health leaders warned that a "twindemic" of both flu and Covid-19 this winter could lead to pressure on the NHS.

Approximately 26 million are eligible for an autumn Covid-19 booster, though vaccination rates remain low in many boroughs of London.

About 25,000 people die of flu every year in England. Low levels of immunity in the population have sparked fears that the UK could suffer a particularly bad flu season based on the situation in Australia, where it strikes first.

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