The Flu Vaccination - Still Very Important
With the news full of stories about the effects of Covid-19, the importance of the flu vaccination might have been lost on some people. Flu vaccination is available every year on the NHS to help protect vulnerable children and adults at risk from flu and its complications.
Flu can be unpleasant, especially for certain groups of people, like:
Anyone in these high risk groups is more likely to develop some potentially serious complications such as pneumonia, so a flu vaccine is recommended every year.
Why get the flu jab?
The flu jab helps prevent you getting the flu and having to experience symptoms or take time to recover – the flu jab reduces your risk of getting the flu. Although the flu jab does not prevent all flu cases, people who have been vaccinated and who catch a strain of the flu tend to have less severe symptoms which usually improve over a shorter period of time.
Getting the flu can be dangerous for some people – flu is a common viral infection, but it can cause serious complications in children, the elderly, those with a weakened immune system and pregnant women. The flu jab offers protection for these groups and helps to reduce the risk of more serious illness and the secondary complications of flu, like pneumonia.
What happens when you do get the flu? – the flu spreads by little droplets, usually by coughs and sneezes. It’s particularly common during the winter months and causes unpleasant symptoms, like fever/chills, tiredness and muscle aches which can last for days. Although the symptoms tend to clear within a week in people who are otherwise healthy, it can cause serious complications in the aforementioned groups.
What happens if I get the flu jab?
You won’t get the flu but you can get some of the symptoms – the flu jab is not a live vaccine, which means you can’t get the flu from the flu jab. However, the flu jab may cause flu-like symptoms as a side effect. The side effects of the flu jab tend to be mild and they usually pass within days.
When will the flu jab start working? – it can take up to 14 days for your immunity to develop. The best time to have a flu vaccine is in the autumn before flu starts circulating.
What’s the difference between flu symptoms or a cold? – When you have a cold, your symptoms tend to be milder and they usually come on gradually, whereas the flu develops quickly and the symptoms can include fever and other unpleasant reactions.
Where to get the vaccine – if you want to get the flu jab, please visit your local Pharmacy, GP surgery or midwifery service if you’re pregnant.
How effective is the flu vaccine?
The flu-vaccine is the best protection we have against an unpredictable virus that can cause unpleasant illness in certain groups of people already mentioned in this blog. Studies have shown that having the flu vaccine will help prevent you getting the flu.
If you want more advice on the flu vaccination then visit this link NHS flu advice
The Coda Team
Coda Health Ltd
Pharmacy Address : Unit 15, Westham Business Park, Pevensey, East Sussex, BN24 5NP
GPhC Number: 9011985
Company registered in England: 13866559
Registered office: 37 Warren Street, London, W1T 6AD
Superintendent pharmacist: Christopher Trinh
GPhC number: 2212062
