A 'Tripledemic' refers to side-by-side outbreaks of three respiratory illnesses occurring over the autumn and winter months - and can put increased pressure on the health system

“With the risk of a ‘tripledemic’ of winter viruses – COVID, flu and RSV – if you are pregnant or aged 75 to 79, it is also so important that you join those who have protected themselves against RSV in the last month to boost your or your child’s protection against a very nasty illness.”

"A ‘tripledemic’ refers to side-by-side outbreaks of three respiratory illnesses, typically occurring during the autumn and winter seasons," Dr Chun Tang, a GP at Pall Mall, told the Independent. "In recent years, it’s been used to describe the simultaneous spread of Covid-19, influenza (flu), and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)."

A ‘tripledemic’ refers to the outbreak of three viruses side by side, this winter in the UK, the NHS is asking people to protect themselves from Covid, the flu and RSV, after figures from the previous two years have shown thousands of deaths associated with Covid and the flu.

Eligible members of the public will be able to get shots against COVID-19, flu and RSV over the next few weeks, public health leaders announced.

Appealing for all those eligible to come forward for vaccinations, NHS national medical director Professor Sir Stephen Powis warned the threat posed by these viruses is “all too real”. He said: “Express readers will know what a vital role vaccination played in bringing us out of the darkest days of the pandemic.