This guide explains how you can help protect yourself and your children against flu this coming winter, and why it’s very important that people who are at increased risk from flu have their free vaccination every year.
What is flu?
Flu occurs every year, usually in the winter, which is why it is sometimes called seasonal flu. It is a very infectious disease that can come on very quickly. The most common symptoms of flu are fever, chills, cough, headache, pains in your joints and muscles and extreme tiredness. Healthy people usually recover within 3 to 4 weeks, but some people can develop serious life-threatening complications and need to be admitted to hospital.
Colds are much less serious and usually start with a stuffy or a runny nose, sore throat and cough.
How do we prevent the spread of flu?
Flu is unpredictable and there can be different strains of the virus. However, over the last ten years, the flu vaccine has generally been very good at targeting the circulating strains.
The flu vaccine is available every year on the NHS to help protect adults and children who are most at risk of flu and its complications.
The flu vaccine
The flu vaccine’s the best available protection against the flu virus. It’s very safe, only takes a few minutes and will last around a year.
The vaccine’s offered each winter flu season, which lasts from October to March.
Who should get the flu vaccine
The flu vaccine is given free on the NHS to adults who:
- are 65 and over
- have certain health conditions
- are pregnant
- are in long-stay residential care
- receive a carer’s allowance, or are the main carer for an older or disabled person who may be at risk if you get sick
- live with someone who is more likely to get a severe infection due to a weakened immune system, such as someone living with HIV, someone who has had a transplant, or is having certain treatments for cancer, lupus or rheumatoid arthritis
- are frontline health workers
- are social care workers who cannot get the vaccine through an occupational health scheme at work
Child flu vaccine
Children are offered a nasal spray flu vaccines and is free on the NHS for:
- Children aged 2 or 3 years – given at GP surgery
- All primary school children (reception to year 6) – given at school
- All year 7 to year 11 children in secondary school – given at school
- Children aged 2 to 17 years with long-term health conditions – given at GP surgery or school
If your child is aged between 6 months and 2 years and has a long-term health condition that makes them at higher risk from flu, they’ll be offered a flu vaccine injection instead of the nasal spray.
This is because the nasal spray is not licensed for children under 2 years old.
How to book your appointment?
If you’re eligible for a free flu vaccine/ nasal spray, please contact reception to book your appointment.
What if I’m not in one of the eligible groups?
If you’re 16 years old, or over, and not in one of the eligible groups for the free flu immunisation, you can get the vaccine in many high street pharmacies for a small fee.
