Infuenza Vaccinations available at the Surgery Posted on 8 Feb 2023

Flu isn’t just a heavy cold

Flu occurs every year, usually in the winter, which is why it’s sometimes called seasonal flu. It’s a highly infectious disease with symptoms that come on very quickly. Colds are much less serious and usually start gradually with a stuffy or runny nose and a sore throat. A bad bout of flu can be much worse than a heavy cold.

The most common symptoms of flu are fever, chills, headache, aches and pains in the joints and muscles, and extreme tiredness. Healthy individuals usually recover within 2 to 7 days, but for some the disease can lead to hospitalisation, permanent disability or even death.

Those who should consider having a flu vaccination:

• aged 65 years or over.
• living in a residential or nursing home.
• the main Carer of an older or disabled person.
• living with someone who has lowered immunity due to disease or treatment.
• a frontline health or social care worker.
• pregnant.
• children of a certain age 2-3yrs. 

Children aged 2 and 3 years will be given the vaccination at their general practice, usually by the practice nurse. School aged children will be offered a flu vaccine in school or can be vaccinated at community clinics. For most children, the vaccine will be given as a spray in each nostril. This is a very quick and painless procedure.

This winter, people aged 65 and over are being offered a flu vaccine called Fluad®. This is the best vaccine currently available for people in this age group because it contains an adjuvant that helps the immune system create a stronger response to the vaccine.

Fluad® is expected to provide better protection for older people and result in fewer hospitalisations and GP consultations from flu this winter. The vaccine is being delivered to GP practices and is beind delivered between September and the end of November, meaning that appointments for flu vaccination will be more spread out than in previous years. 

Those aged 50 to 64 years old will also be eligible for flu vaccination this year later in the season to allow us to prioritise those most at risk from the complications of flu.