12 January 2024 , 13:32
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Immunologists are warning Brits to consider their travel plans amidst a rise in coronavirus and flu cases in holiday hotspots.
Infectious disease experts have sounded the alarm about the risks many are taking when booking holidays abroad without being up to date with their vaccines. Large sections of society have very low Covid and influenza vaccine uptake four years after the coronavirus pandemic hit.
This week in Spain the national Government brought back face mask rules, requiring them to be worn in hospitals and other healthcare settings to try and control the damage caused by the spread of respiratory illnesses.
Sheena Cruikshank, immunologist and professor in biomedical sciences at the University of Manchester, told the Mirror that Covid levels are currently "very high across many nations", noting that as many as one in 23 people are infected in the US, for example. Coronavirus can be caught in any country, but travelling to new places in often crowded forms of public transport doesn't exactly reduce your risk.
The immunology experts urged people to keep up to date with their jabs (Getty Images)Although the death rate is now far lower globally now that many people have been vaccinated or naturally immunised, Professor Cruikshank warned about the renewed threat caused by the new mutation, as "vaccine induced immunity can protect against severe disease but vaccine coverage and uptake is low, so people may be at more risk".
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Some sections of British society are far more exposed than others, according to a recent OpenSAFELY report. The proportion of over-75s vaccinated within the last 12 months stands at 90% for white people, 67% for people of mixed ethnicity, 56% for South Asians, and just 49% for Black people. In the last group, one out of every five are yet to receive a single vaccine dose.
Dr Bharat Pankhania, senior clinical lecturer at Exeter University and a disease control expert, has urged people to keep their "immune levels as high as possible". He noted that this was particularly important when it came to Covid.
"The immune system needs prompting. We don't have good memory against coronavirus, hence the need to frequently re-immunize," he said. When asked whether it was important to get vaccinated ahead of a holiday, he said "without a doubt".
Professor Cruikshank went on to express cautious hopes that the current surge in cases in Europe and the US would soon fall, but admitted that it could extend into the holiday season. "Data suggests that we are nearly at the peak in several nations, but based on previous years this is not a virus that is adopting a seasonal pattern so more waves, albeit hopefully much smaller than this wave for the spring, may follow," she said.
"As such it is wise to remain vigilant when considering travel. The virus is an airborne infection and masks and ventilation can help reduce the likelihood of catching the infection so I would recommend people are cautious on travel and keep up to date with boosters if offered."