National vaccination campaign gets underway to protect newborns this winter

Expectant mothers are being urged to get vaccinated against flu, RSV and whooping cough to protect their babies this winter, as the government launches a new national campaign.

The Department of Health and Social Care campaign - ‘Stay Strong. Get Vaccinated’ - uses bubble wrap imagery to show how vaccination during pregnancy passes life-saving antibodies through the placenta to protect newborns.

It comes as the NHS ramps up preparations for winter to provide the safest possible care for patients, with local NHS leaders taking part in ‘stress test’ exercises and providing targeted care for the most vulnerable.

Alongside this, patients are being urged to protect themselves and their families against winter viruses - to help take pressure off hardworking staff and ensure care is there for patients when they need it most.

Health Minister Ashley Dalton says: “Winter is always tough for the NHS but we are working hard to ramp up preparations so the health service is ready for patients when they need it.”

The multi-channel campaign supported by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and NHS England is shown across TV, video on-demand, radio, outdoor advertising and social media. A second phase of the campaign will aim to encourage people with long-term health conditions to come forward for flu vaccination.

Each year, some 600,000 women give birth in England. New data from UKHSA reveals hundreds of thousands of pregnant women missed vital vaccines last winter, with 35% vaccinated against flu, around half receiving a vaccination for RSV since the programme was launched a year ago and one-third missing their whooping cough vaccination.