Winter is the season that exposes weak spots in our health routines. Flu, RSV, and COVID circulate in higher concentrations indoors. Vitamin D production from sunlight all but stops. Long-term conditions like asthma and COPD flare more easily. And the gap between "I feel a bit run down" and "I should have come in two weeks ago" tends to widen.
What follows is the checklist I run through with patients every autumn — practical, short, and ordered by what matters most.
Get the right vaccinations early
The best time to book vaccinations is September and October, before the flu season peaks in December-January. If you haven't booked yet, do it today.
- Flu vaccine — free on the NHS for over-65s, anyone with an underlying health condition, pregnant women, and 2-3 year olds. Available privately at Qrystal for everyone else.
- COVID-19 booster — eligibility narrows each year; check the NHS criteria. We can administer the booster on-site for both NHS and private patients.
- RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) — newer vaccine, NHS-funded for over-75s and pregnant women. Important: RSV causes more hospital admissions in over-65s than flu does in some years.
- Pneumococcal vaccine — one-off jab for over-65s and people with certain long-term conditions, protecting against bacterial pneumonia.
If you're not sure what you're eligible for, our travel and vaccinations team can advise — and most NHS-eligible vaccinations can be given here without a GP referral.
Stock up on Vitamin D
Between October and March, the UK receives too little UV-B for the body to make vitamin D from sunlight, regardless of how much you go outside. The NHS recommends 10µg (400 IU) daily for everyone over the age of one through these months.
For more detail on dosing, deficiency testing, and choosing a supplement, see our full Vitamin D article.
Manage long-term conditions proactively
Cold air, indoor heating, viral infections, and reduced sunlight all stress the body's regulatory systems. People with chronic conditions should plan for this.
- Asthma and COPD — review your inhaler technique annually. Make sure you have a current rescue inhaler. Avoid running out during a cold snap when surgeries are busiest.
- Diabetes — illness raises blood glucose; have a sick-day plan in place (when to test, what to eat, when to call for help).
- Heart and circulatory conditions — sudden cold exposure can trigger angina or arrhythmia. Layer up before going outside; don't shovel snow on a heavy meal.
- Mental health — winter blues are real; if you've experienced seasonal mood drops before, plan early (light therapy, exercise routines, social contact).
If you've been newly prescribed a medicine for a long-term condition, the free New Medicine Service is designed to help you make the most of it.
Common winter ailments — what works, what doesn't
Most winter illnesses are viral and self-limiting. Time and rest are usually all you need. But effective symptom management matters.
- Coughs and colds — paracetamol or ibuprofen for fever and pain; saline nasal sprays for congestion; honey and lemon for sore throats. Decongestant tablets are short-term only.
- Sore throats — most are viral. Anaesthetic lozenges help; antibiotics don't. But if your sore throat fits clinical criteria, Pharmacy First lets us prescribe antibiotics same-day where appropriate.
- Coughs lasting over three weeks — see a GP. Persistent cough deserves investigation.
When it's not 'just a cold'
Most colds resolve in 7-10 days. See your GP — or call NHS 111 — if you experience:
- Fever lasting more than 3-4 days
- Shortness of breath at rest
- Chest pain
- Coughing up blood
- Persistent headache with neck stiffness or rash
- Confusion, drowsiness, or a sudden change in alertness in an older relative
For non-emergency winter health questions, our pharmacy team is open six days a week. Call us, walk in, or chat — winter is when we're busiest precisely because that's when we're most useful.
