Seasonal Flu Vaccination
Please see the attached information sheet regards the 2024 - 2025 vaccination schedule below:
Seasonal flu vaccinations are no longer being carried out in the practice and are being given in local hubs. You will receive an appointment letter in the post. Unfortunately the practice is unable to assist in changing or cancelling these appointments and would ask that you contact the telephone number detailed on your letter.
Seasonal flu is a highly infectious respiratory illness caused by a flu virus. It spreads rapidly through the coughs and sneezes of infected people.
The flu jab is offered to people in at-risk groups, who are at greater risk of developing serious complications from flu. Every year brings different strains of flu; you need to have it every year against that year's strains.
The vaccine, which is normally available in the autumn, is made from the strains of flu that are expected in winter
How the vaccine protects you
About a week to 10 days after you have had the flu injection, your body starts making antibodies to the virus in the vaccine.
Antibodies are proteins that recognise and fight off germs that have invaded your blood, such as viruses. They help protect you against any similar viruses you then come into contact with
How effective is it?
The flu vaccines currently available give 70-80% protection against infection, with flu virus strains closely matching those in the vaccine.
In the elderly, protection against infection may be less, but immunisation reduces the chances of pneumonia, hospital admissions and death from seasonal flu.
For most people, seasonal flu is unpleasant but not serious and they recover within a week.
However, certain people are at greater risk of developing serious complications of flu, such as bronchitis and pneumonia. These may require hospital treatment. A number of people die from flu complications every winter.
The seasonal flu vaccine is offered free of charge to at-risk groups. If you are not in any of these and are under 65 the flu jab is not funded for you by the NHS. It can be obtained privately through employers occupational health departments or from many pharmacies- usually costing around £10.
At-risk groups
It is recommended you have a flu jab if you:
- are 65 or over
- have a chronic medical condition such as asthma or COPD, heart, liver, kidney or neurological disease
- are immuno-suppressed (e.g. taking strong medicines for rheumatic disease)
- are diabetic
- are pregnant (young healthy pregnant women can suffer serious flu complications)
- live in a residential or nursing home
- are the main carer for an elderly or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if you fall ill
- are a healthcare or social care professional directly involved in patient care, or
- work with poultry
If you are the parent of a child (over six months) with a long-term condition, speak to your GP about the flu jab. Your child's condition may get worse if they catch flu.
If you are the carer of an elderly or disabled person, make sure they have had their flu jab.
Read more about flu symptoms, vaccination self-help and treatment at NHS Inform
