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Flu Vaccination
What is 'the flu'?
What is the treatment?
Why have a flu vaccination?
What is the flu jab?
Who should have the flu jab?
How do I go about getting a flu jab?
Flu Vaccination Clinic timetable
What is 'the flu'?
The flu or influenza is a viral infection that is very common in the autumn and winter months. It causes symptoms of high temperature, headaches, muscular aches and pains, irritating dry cough, lack of appetite, sore throat, runny nose, chills and shivering. The person suffering the flu feels generally very weak and has difficulty getting out of bed.
See the WHO fact sheet on influenza for more information.
What is the treatment?
In most healthy people the flu lasts for 1 to 2 weeks with full recovery. The treatment is to rest and take Paracetamol or Ibuprofen at the correct doses with plenty of fluids. Antibiotics are useless as it is a viral infection.
Avoid smoking and alcohol.
Why have a flu vaccination?
Certain groups of people with long term illness and those 65 years and over are at high risk of getting the serious complications of the flu. These are bronchitis and pneumonia which may lead to serious ill health resulting in hospital admission and occasionally death.
The annual 'flu immunisation is the best protection against 'flu for people with underlying health problems that put them at risk of complications from 'flu, and for all those aged 65 and over or in long stay residential care.What is the flu jab?
Every year the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends which strains of the flu virus are circulating and should be included in the flu vaccine. The recommended flu virus strains are grown in chicken eggs.
The flu virus is then inactivated, i.e. killed. The vaccine contains no live virus and cannot cause an infection.
Who should have the flu jab?
The flu vaccine is offered to all people aged 65 and over
The vaccine is also recommended for people of any age with other conditions such as
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chronic lung diseases, |
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kidney problems, |
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chronic heart problems, |
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diabetes, |
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people in long stay residential accommodation |
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people who have immunosuppresion due to disease or treatment including lack of a spleen. |
Immunisation is one of the most effective healthcare interventions available and 'flu vaccines are highly effective in preventing illness and hospital admissions among these groups of people.
How do I go about getting a flu jab?
If you are in the high risk group as listed above please simply turn up at the Surgery in mid October. We have set up walk-in flu vaccination clinics for convenience. Click here for a summary.
Last updated 14 May 2011