Soaring demand causing shortage of flu jab appointments across England

Few bookable slots left as NHS urges people to get vaccinated amid surge in cases because of new strain

Soaring demand has caused a major shortage of flu jab appointments across England, the Guardian can reveal.

NHS leaders have issued urgent pleas to the public for them to get their flu jabs and help the health service cope with a crippling flu-nami", which last week led to hospitals in England treating record numbers of seriously ill patients with flu.