INFLUENZA (FLU) VACCINE
As we get older, we tend to get a bit more vulnerable to viruses like the flu. Something that we might have shaken off quite easily in our younger days can now land us in hospital and leave us open to really serious illnesses like bronchitis and pneumonia.
That’s why it pays to get your flu jab in the autumn. It’s free, and it’s really effective against the latest strains of the virus.
And the flu jab doesn’t just protect the over 65s. Many people with heart, chest, kidney, and some other problems can also benefit.
Don’t wait until there’s an epidemic: contact Reception and get your flu jab this autumn before the virus appears in the winter.
Q. How do I know when I’ve got the flu?
Flu symptoms hit you suddenly and severely. They usually include fever, chills, headaches and aching muscles, and you can often get a sore throat at the same time.
Q. Isn’t flu just a heavy cold?
No. Colds are much less severe and usually start gradually when you get a sore throat and stuffy or runny nose. Flu is a much more serious illness.
Q. How serious is flu?
Catching flu is a nasty experience for most people. But it can lead to really serious illnesses like bronchitis and pneumonia, which may mean you need hospital treatment. A lot of mainly older people die from influenza every winter.
Q. How do I catch flu?
Flu is a highly infectious illness which spreads very rapidly by coughs and sneezes from people who are already carrying the virus.
Q. When am I most at risk from flu?
Influenza (flu) reappears every winter, usually over a short period of a few weeks, so that a lot of people get ill around the same time. In a really bad year, this can amount to an epidemic but it’s impossible to predict how much flu there’ll be every year.
Q. Does everyone need a flu jab?
If:
· You are 65 or over
· You live in a long stay residential or nursing home or other long stay facility
Or if you have any of these problems (however old you are):
· Chronic respiratory disease - including patients with asthma who require continuous or repeated use of inhaled or systemic steroids, or with previous exacerbations requiring hospital admission
· Chronic heart disease
· Chronic renal disease
· Chronic liver disease
· Diabetes mellitus
· Immunosupression due to disease or treatment such as steroid medication or cancer treatment
· In receipt of a carer's allowance, or if you are the main carer for an elderly or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if the carer falls ill. This is given on an individual basis at the GP's discretion in the context of other clinical risk groups in our practice
Q. If I had the jab last year, do I need it again now?
Yes. The viruses that cause flu change every year, which means the flu this winter will be different from last winters, and the vaccine will be different as well.
Q. Why shouldn’t everyone have a flu jab?
Healthy people don’t need to be vaccinated – for most people flu is uncomfortable but not serious.
Q. How long will the jab protect me?
This protection lasts for about a year.
Q. Can the flu jab actually cause flu?
No. The vaccine doesn’t contain any live virus so it can’t cause flu. Some people get a slight temperature and aching muscles for a couple of days afterwards and your arm may feel a bit sore where you were injected, but that’s about all. Any other reactions are very rare: flu jabs are very safe.
Q. How affective is the vaccine?
Flu vaccinations are pretty effective. Most people who have been vaccinated will not get the kinds of flu from which the vaccine was made (we are getting better at predicting which strains need to in the vaccine). If you do catch flu, it’s likely to be milder than if you hadn’t been vaccinated.
Q. How does the vaccine work?
Your body starts making the antibodies to the vaccine virus about a week to ten days after the injection, and they help protect you against any similar viruses you the come into contact with.
Q. Will it stop me from getting ill?
Flu vaccinations protect against the flu: they won’t stop you catching the many other viruses that appear every winter. But because flu is generally more serious, it makes sense to have a flu jab.
Q. When’s the best time to get my flu jab?
The best time is between late September and early November, ready for the winter. Don’t wait until there’s a flu epidemic.
Q. Is there anyone who shouldn’t get a flu jab?
If have a serious allergy to hens eggs you shouldn’t get vaccinated. And it’s not generally advised if you’re pregnant.
Q. How do I go about getting immunised?
If you think you need a flu vaccination, check with the doctor or practice nurse – or if a nurse visits you regularly, you can ask them.
ARE YOU AGED 65 OR OVER?
You can now have the pneumo jab to protect you against serious forms of pneumococcal infection. You won’t need it each year and for most it’s a one-off vaccination. If you haven’t already been sent an appointment and would like more information contact Reception.