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.
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.
The causes of flu
Flu is caused by influenza viruses that infect the windpipe and lungs. And because it’s caused by viruses and not bacteria, antibiotics won’t treat it. However, if there are complications from getting flu, antibiotics may be needed.
How you catch flu
When an infected person coughs or sneezes, they spread the flu virus in tiny droplets of saliva over a wide area. These droplets can then be breathed in by other people or they can be picked up by touching surfaces where the droplets have landed.
You can prevent the spread of the virus by covering your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze, and you should wash your hands frequently or use hand gels to reduce the risk of picking up the virus.
But the best way to avoid catching and spreading flu is by having the vaccination before the flu season starts.
Who can have the flu vaccine?
The flu vaccine is given free on the NHS to people who:
From 1 September 2024:
- pregnant women
- all children aged 2 or 3 years on 31 August 2024
- primary school aged children (from Reception to Year 6)
- secondary school aged children (from Year 7 to Year 11)
- all children in clinical risk groups aged from 6 months to less than 18 years
From 3rd October 2024 as confirmed by NHSE:
- those aged 65 years and over
- those aged 18 years to under 65 years in clinical risk groups (as defined by the Green Book, Influenza Chapter 19)
- those in long-stay residential care homes
- carers in receipt of carer’s allowance, or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person
- close contacts of immunocompromised individuals
- frontline workers in a social care setting without an employer led occupational health scheme including those working for a registered residential care or nursing home, registered domiciliary care providers, voluntary managed hospice providers and those that are employed by those who receive direct payments (personal budgets) or Personal Health budgets, such as Personal Assistants
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.
The nasal spray vaccine offers the best protection for children aged 2 to 17 years. They will be offered the flu vaccine injection if the nasal spray vaccine is not suitable for them.
We at Stockport Medical Group are doing everything we can to help protect us all, and the NHS, this winter. Usually as autumn approaches, viruses start to spread, causing increasing illness. The addition of Covid-19 may cause great pressure on the NHS this winter.
We know children are both “silent super spreaders” of flu to other people, and at high risk & very vulnerable themselves. Flu can be severe and sadly sometimes life-threatening.
We are strongly encouraging parents of all children aged two or three years old to get them protected by getting them vaccinated against flu. This will also help protect your family and the NHS.
The vaccine is given by spraying a very small amount of fluid into each nostril – it’s easily administered and painless. There is no injection involved.
It is a very safe vaccine – the most common side effect, in about one in ten children, is a runny nose coming on a day or two after vaccination and lasting for a couple of days.
The vaccine doesn’t stop cold viruses, but is very effective at preventing influenza virus infections.
If you are in these group’s we will be contacting you by text (or by letter if we don’t have a mobile number for you) to invite you to book a timed slot for your vaccination.
Weekend Clinics Available
- Saturday 5th October 2024 – 8.30am to 4.45pm
- Saturday 19th October 2024 – 8.30am to 4.45 pm
Weekday Clinics – To Be Confirmed
Monday to Friday 7.00 am to 7.30 pm – Options will be available on your self link booking text or speaking to reception if you do not have a smart phone/tablet/PC.
Am I at increased risk from the effects of flu?
The flu vaccine is offered free on the NHS to anyone with a serious long-term health condition, including:
- respiratory conditions, such as asthma (needing steroid inhaler or tablets), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including emphysema and bronchitis
- diabetes
- heart conditions, such as coronary heart disease or heart failure
- being very overweight – a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or above
- chronic kidney disease
- liver disease, such as cirrhosis or hepatitis
- some neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), or cerebral palsy
- a learning disability
- problems with your spleen, for example, sickle cell disease, or if you have had your spleen removed
- a weakened immune system as the result of conditions such as HIV and AIDS, or taking medicines such as steroid tablets or chemotherapy
Where to get the flu vaccine
All community services are working together to ensure we vaccinate as many eligible people as possible, so you can also access the vaccination at the services below:
- your GP surgery
- a pharmacy offering the service – if you’re aged 18 or over
- your midwifery service if you’re pregnant
- Sometimes, you might be offered the flu vaccine at a hospital appointment.
If you have a flu vaccine at any NHS service except your GP surgery, you do not have to tell the surgery to update your records. This will be done for you. If you’ve been given a flu vaccine privately, or through an occupational health scheme, you can tell your GP surgery if you would like it added to your NHS record
Preparation before your flu appointment
To assist your clinician with the administration of the vaccination we will require you to prepare as follows:
- Please notify the reception staff if you have any mobility issues at the point of booking the appointment.
- Please arrive at your allocated appointment time and not early or late.
- Please dress in something that it easy to roll your sleeve up to above your shoulder, without too many layers.
- When in the waiting area please remove any coats or jumpers so that your preferred arm is accessible by the clinician.
- Please do not expect the clinician to deal with any other medical need that you may have as there will not be sufficient time and a separate appointment will be required.
- Be patient.
Vaccine Patient Information Leaflet
Adult Over 65+
Adults Under 65
Children Nasal Flu Information