Health blogs from the UK Health Security Agency
Why some people suffer more than others during heatwaves
While many of us revel in the hot summer sunshine, others are at risk of developing heat-related complications such as sunstroke and heatstroke. In this blog post we will outline how...
The essential travel checklist to keep you and your family healthy on holiday
Planning a holiday abroad? This guide provides essential information to help you travel safely and minimise health risks. Whether you're planning a beach break, visiting family overseas,...
What you need to know about UV (ultraviolet) radiation
Ultraviolet, or UV, radiation, comes to earth from the sun. The ozone layer protects those of us on the ground from most of it, but some does reach the surface. Here’s a quick...
Who’s eligible for the 2025 COVID-19 vaccine, or ‘Autumn Booster’?
When autumn comes, protection from any earlier COVID-19 vaccination you may have had will be starting to wane. For those who are more likely to become seriously ill from COVID-19, the NHS...
What the evidence says about interventions to reduce pollution and improve lives
Breathing in polluted air affects our health, reduces our life expectancy, and costs our society billions of pounds each year. It is estimated that 2 million healthy life years are lost in...
How to avoid rabies and what to do if you’re exposed while travelling
Rabies is a rare but deadly viral infection that affects the brain and nervous system. Human cases of rabies are extremely rare in the UK but the infection poses a risk to travellers...
A parent’s guide to summer infections and health hazards
As summer arrives, you’re likely to spend more time outdoors with your children. Lots of us love this time of year and it’s great to enjoy the longer days and warmer weather. It’s worth...
Heat Health: what you need to know for summer 2025
During the summer, many of us enjoy the longer days, warmer evenings, and time outdoors. But warmer weather also brings potential risks to health, especially when temperatures climb higher...
What is Candidozyma auris? Fungal pathogen and emerging global health threat
Two Petri dishes containing Candidozyma auris (C. auris) Fungi are all around us, but some species pose significant threats to human health. They can spread silently, thrive in hospitals,...
What is measles and why is it so important we're all up to date with our MMR vaccine?
More than 1 in 10 eligible children under the age of 5 in England haven’t had the Measles Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine or are only partially vaccinated. This leaves these...
How we protect the UK from vector-borne diseases like dengue and West Nile virus
Aedes vexans mosquito © Anders Lindstrom Vector-borne diseases - illnesses transmitted to humans by organisms such as mosquitoes and ticks - account for more than 17% of all infectious...
How factors like your location, job or ethnicity can damage your health
The skyline of Middlesbrough town centre, with industrial cooling towers in the background Health inequalities are avoidable differences in health across our populations. You can suffer...