“The flu is not a severe cold: it can be a serious illness, and three to four thousand deaths [in the United Kingdom] are linked to flu every year”, according to Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson (Department of Health). “If you suffer from a chronic illness like asthma or diabetes, or are 65 years or older, you are particularly at risk from flu”, he states. A similar warning is given in the United States, although vaccination is recommended for a wider group of people, including pregnant women and individuals of 50 years or older (New York State Office for Aging).

However, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (UK) has recently suspended the manufacturing licence of the influenza-vaccine maker Chiron Corporation because of concerns about the way the vaccine is manufactured. This decision is likely to have a particularly severe impact in the United States, where Chiron is responsible for nearly 50% of the influenza vaccines distributed, and Dr Anthony Fauci (Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease) has said that there will be “significant shortages” (The New York Times). In the United Kingdom, Chiron supplies a smaller proportion of the influenza vaccines, and a Department of Health spokesperson said, “We are confident that we have sufficient vaccines for this winter's campaign” (BBC News).

As a result of the vaccine shortage, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (USA) is planning to teach people how to protect themselves through hygiene and 'cough etiquette'. It has said that you should avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth and that if you do get flu, stay at home so that you don't infect others (The New York Times).