By Thorrun Govind

Christmas is coming and the NHS is still under pressure.

At the end of September, the waiting list stood at 7.39 million, down slightly from 7.41 million the month before. It’s progress, but fragile progress. Winter could wipe it out quickly.

Every year, flu sends thousands of people to hospital. This is happening alongside junior doctor strikes, an exhausted workforce, and the usual surge in cold-weather illnesses.

Put it all together and the system can easily get overwhelmed.

The flu vaccine is updated every year to target the strains expected to circulate. It does not stop flu completely,........

© LBC