IT has been several months since I last wrote about Covid-19, but as winter approaches cases across the country are rising.

This isn’t surprising, as more people are mixing indoors and the virus survives more easily in cold weather.

Nationally, cases are up by 42 per cent in the seven days to September 24 (the most recent data available at the time of writing this article) and locally the figures are even higher.

There has been a 49 per cent increase in Teignbridge, 66 per cent increase in Mid Devon, 85 per cent increase in East Devon and 149 per cent increase in West Devon (the four local authorities in our constituency).

These figures are not cause for alarm – the increases are from a low base and we are better protected than ever before thanks to our world-leading vaccination programme and high levels of natural immunity.

However, protection wanes over time and the NHS has launched its autumn booster programme to top up levels of immunity.

People aged 65 and over can book their Covid booster now and appointments are also available to carers, pregnant women and the immunosuppressed.

Over the coming weeks, jabs will be offered to those aged 50-64. Even if you have had Covid-19 already, please get your booster.

The higher the take up, the fewer infections, hospitalisations and deaths we will have this winter and the less pressure we will see on our local hospitals.

The UK Health Security Agency is also urging everyone eligible for a free flu vaccine to take up the offer as soon as possible ahead of what could be a difficult winter with respiratory viruses circulating widely.

The most-commonly detected flu virus in the world (H3N2) has recently caused waves of infection in countries such as Australia.

It circulated in the UK last winter but relatively few people caught it because people were mixing less and working from home more. Lower levels of natural immunity to this strain mean it is likely to hit the UK harder this winter.

As usual, flu vaccinations will be offered to everyone aged over 65, to pre-school and primary school children, and to those in clinical risk groups.

When these groups have vaccinated, free flu vaccines will also be offered to adults aged 50-64 and secondary school children in Years 7, 8 and 9.

As well as flu jabs being important in their own right – studies suggest they prevent between 180,000 and 626,000 cases a year in England – they have become especially important since the pandemic began because those who catch both flu and Covid-19 at the same time are around twice as likely to die compared to those who only have Covid-19.

The advice from our scientific and medical experts is clear – getting both the flu jab and the Covid-19 booster if you are eligible will better protect you and your loved ones and will help to alleviate serious pressures on our NHS this winter.

More from Mel at www.melstridemp.com or follow him on twitter @MelJStride.