The winter season is quick approaching, which means we might quickly have an outbreak of seasonal flu to deal with.
Well being officers are involved as that is would be the first winter Covid and the flu will flow into totally on the identical time with out lockdown restrictions. Analysis has discovered that people who find themselves contaminated with each viruses are twice as prone to die than somebody who has Covid alone.
Flu and different winter viruses can result in greater than 1,000 hospital admissions a day within the winter months, which is at present greater than the variety of individuals being seen for Covid. A report from the Academy of Medical Sciences says that respiratory sickness might hit very excessive ranges, which can trigger a extreme pressure on the NHS and as much as 60,000 deaths.
The federal government is urging individuals to take the flu jab because it’s launched the largest flu programme within the NHS’s historical past.
Greater than 35 million individuals in England are eligible for a free vaccine. Individuals could also be provided the booster Covid jab in a single arm and the flu vaccine within the different on the identical day in some areas. However this may not be obtainable in each space.
Prof Jonathan Van-Tam, England’s deputy chief medical officer, stated “we have to take this severely and defend ourselves” by taking the vaccines when provided. “Each these viruses are critical: they’ll each unfold simply, trigger hospitalisation they usually can each be deadly,” he added.
Professor of virology at Imperial School London, Wendy Barclay, advised the BBC’s As we speak Programme that it had been trickier to gauge which flu strains to cowl with this yr’s vaccine, as a result of instances had been so low final yr. “The vaccine this yr is up to date to match what we predict would be the circulating strains,” she stated.
Who’s eligible for the flu jab?
The NHS flu vaccine programme has been broadly prolonged this yr to incorporate extra individuals than normal. These within the following teams are eligible for a free jab:
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All youngsters who’re aged two and three on 31 August 2021
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All youngsters in major faculty and all secondary faculty pupils beneath the age of 16 on 31 August
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These aged six months to 50 years previous in medical threat teams. These embody individuals impacted by respiratory sickness (together with bronchial asthma), coronary heart circumstances, diabetes, and neurological circumstances. Discover a full checklist right here.
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Pregnant girls
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These aged 50 years and over
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Individuals in residential care
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Unpaid carers
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Shut contacts of individuals with weakened immune techniques
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Well being and care employees
How are you going to entry your free jab?
The flu vaccine might be provided by way of your GP, native pharmacies, and colleges.
Adults who’re eligible for the free NHS flu vaccine – as a result of age or medical situation – might be contacted by GP surgical procedures, or they’ll e book an appointment at a pharmacy.
Well being and care employees eligible for the vaccine might be given a voucher by their employer, which can be utilized to entry the flu vaccine through a pharmacy.
Kids beneath 18 are given the flu vaccine through a nasal spray. They cannot entry this through a pharmacy. As an alternative, youngsters will both be provided immunisation through their GP surgical procedure or faculty.
Kids beneath the age of two will obtain the spray at a GP surgical procedure. Kids in major and secondary colleges with out an underlying well being situation might be provided it at school (and mother or father/guardian consent might be sought). College-aged youngsters with an underlying medical situation can obtain a vaccine through their GP surgical procedure or faculty, whichever is earlier.
For those who’re not eligible for a free jab, are you able to get one privately?
Sure. Anybody who isn’t eligible for a free flu vaccine pays for it privately at many pharmacies, at a value of round £15.
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