Londoners ‘badly hit’ by Covid-like winter bug

Research from INEOS Hygienics suggested hundreds of thousands of people were off work last week.

Over half of people surveyed said they had felt “the most sick they have ever been” with a winter bug. Many people have reported feeling sick over the Christmas period and beyond with a bug with Covid-like symptoms, but they then tested negative for the virus.

The research found almost half [49%] of Londoners blame themselves for falling ill this winter, with care-free socialising [36%]poor hand hygiene [29%]poor diet [25%] and excess alcohol [18%] on the run up to and over the festive season.

In the week ending 7th January 2023, INEOS Hygienics witnessed a 43 percent uplift in sales across its hand hygiene products compared to the previous week, highlighting that people are increasingly investing in preventive health once again.

Fran Millar, the company’s CEO said: “Over three quarters [85%] of Londoners fear falling sick again this winter. So, if handwashing fatigue has set in in your household, it’s worth remembering that just 30 seconds of it regularly can help mitigate feeling under the weather for weeks.

“With reports of hospitalizations on the rise and increased pressure on the NHS, we need to act quickly to help protect ourselves and the people around us.

“Keeping our hands clean and sanitized is one of the most effective routes we can take to prevent getting sick and stop the spread of viruses and bacteria.”