We’re in the full throes of autumn now and winter is just around the corner, so there’s no time like the present to make sure that anyone in your family who’s vulnerable and would benefit from having the free flu jab administered does just that.
Older people and anyone with certain long-term health conditions are at particular risk of more severe outcomes if they do catch the flu, including bronchitis and pneumonia. It can also exacerbate pre-existing conditions, leading to hospitalisation.
The free flu jab is available from October for anyone over the age of 65, or anyone aged between 18 and 65 with chronic health conditions.
Care home residents, carers of elderly or disabled people, anyone living with immunocompromised people and frontline health and social care workers are also eligible for the jab.
How can you get free flu vaccination?
Anyone who’s eligible for the jab will be able to book an appointment through their GP. Typically, the NHS will send out an alert letting you know when you can book in.
You can do this on behalf of a loved one by getting in touch with their GP surgery to book an appointment directly. Alternatively, you can use the NHS website or app and book at a participating pharmacy, or even potentially find a walk-in centre where you don’t need to make a booking at all.
When is the best time to get the flu jab?
Ideally, if you can, aim to get vaccinated against the flu at the start of autumn or early winter at the latest. This is when flu won’t be in wide circulation, so you maximise your chance of not coming down with it.
However, it’s always advisable to get vaccinated even if it’s later in the year, as late flu activity is often seen.
Are there any side-effects to the flu vaccine?
Side-effects of the flu jab are generally mild, including a slight fever and a sore arm at the injection site. However, these will resolve themselves quickly and are a lot less severe than the symptoms you’d get if you came down with the flu itself.
Symptoms of flu include:
– Fever
– A dry cough
– Sore throat
– Headache
– Muscle aches
– Nausea/vomiting
– Fatigue
– Diarrhoea
These symptoms can progress and cause secondary bacterial infections, as well as exacerbating conditions like diabetes, heart disease and lung disease. Strain can also be put on the heart, increasing the risks of cardiac arrest.
Older people have higher risks of hospitalisation because of the flu and they’re the most vulnerable group where flu-related deaths are concerned. As such, annual flu vaccinations are the best way to protect against the illness.
What to do if you think your elderly relative has flu
Get in touch with a healthcare professional immediately for further advice or talk to your Concept Care private nurse to find out what to do.
Look out for severe symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, pain or pressure in the chest, sudden confusion, dizziness and an inability to keep fluids down. If these occur, seek emergency medical attention.
