1. Question:
What can I do to avoid catching seasonal flu?
Answer:
If you are 65 or over, or have certain conditions, you are especially at risk of developing serious complications as a result of flu. You are eligible for a free seasonal flu jab, and this is the best way to avoid catching the flu. General tips to help avoid spreading germs to others and avoid picking them up yourself include always carrying tissues, covering your cough and sneeze with a tissue, disposing of the tissue after one use, and cleaning your hands as soon and as often as you can.
2. Question:
How do I know if I have seasonal flu and not just a cold?
Answer:
Patients with seasonal flu normally have a fever or a high temperature (over 38°C / 100.4°F) and two or more of the following symptoms:
- unusual tiredness
- headache
- runny nose
- sore throat
- shortness of breath or cough
- loss of appetite
- aching muscles
- diarrhoea and/or vomiting.
3. Question:
How many people get seasonal flu each year?
Answer:
This will vary widely from year to year.
4. Question:
How do I know if I need to go to the surgery for a seasonal flu jab?
Answer:
All those aged 65 years and over and other individuals below that age, including children, who suffer from certain conditions such as asthma, heart disease and diabetes should have the vaccine.
The free seasonal flu vaccination is recommended if you have:
- a heart problem
- a chest complaint or breathing difficulties including, bronchitis, emphysema
- a kidney disease
- lowered immunity due to disease or treatment (such as steroid medication or cancer treatment)
- a liver disease
- had a stroke or a transient ischaemic attack (TIA)
- diabetes
- a neurological condition e.g. multiple sclerosis (MS) or cerebral palsy
- a problem with, or removal of, your spleen e.g. sickle cell disease.
This year the seasonal flu vaccination is also being offered to pregnant women.
You should also have the seasonal flu vaccination if you live in a residential or nursing home, or are the main carer for an older or disabled person.
Paid and unpaid carers are also eligible for the seasonal flu vaccine.
Please contact your GP for more information.
5. Question:
Will the seasonal flu vaccine make me ill?
Answer:
The seasonal flu vaccine is very well tolerated by most people but there are some fairly common side effects. The vaccine does not contain any live viruses, so it cannot give you seasonal flu. Some people get a slight temperature and aching muscles for a couple of days after having the seasonal flu vaccine, and your arm may feel a bit sore where you were injected. Any other side effects are rare and are minor compared with the risks of catching flu.
6. Question:
How effective is the seasonal flu vaccine?
Answer:
Most people who have the seasonal flu vaccination will not get seasonal flu. However, like any vaccine, it does not give 100% protection. In years where the vaccine is well matched to the circulating viruses out of every 100 people who have the vaccine, 70-80 may be protected, while others who have had the vaccine and catch flu are more likely to get milder symptoms.
The seasonal flu vaccination will not protect you against the common cold or other winter viruses.
7. Question:
Do I just need to have the vaccination every year?
Answer:
Yes. The virus changes every year as does the vaccine. So don’t assume that you don’t need another vaccination because you had one last year. It is best to have the seasonal flu vaccination annually in the autumn before any outbreak of seasonal flu.
8. Question:
If I go to my GP to get the seasonal flu vaccine won’t I just be exposing myself to other viruses in the waiting room?
Answer:
The best way to protect yourself is to have the seasonal flu vaccination particularly if you are at an increased risk from seasonal flu. Preventing the spread of germs is the most effective way to slow the spread of flu. Always:
ensure everyone washes their hands regularly with soap and water,
clean surfaces regularly to get rid of germs, use tissues to cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze, and put used tissues in a bin as soon as possible and wash hands.
9. Question:
Should children be given the seasonal flu vaccine?
Answer:
If you have a child who has one of the conditions listed below or who has previously been admitted to hospital with a serious chest or respiratory condition, they may not be able to recover from seasonal flu as well as other children can. They are more likely to be very ill if they catch seasonal flu, and it could make their existing condition worse. Talk to your GP or practice nurse about your child having the seasonal flu vaccination.
- a heart problem
- a chest complaint or breathing difficulties including, bronchitis, emphysema
- a kidney disease
- lowered immunity due to disease or treatment (such as steroid medication or cancer treatment)
- a liver disease
- had a stroke or a transient ischaemic attack (TIA)
- diabetes
- a neurological condition e.g. multiple sclerosis (MS) or cerebral palsy
- a problem with, or removal of, their spleen e.g. sickle cell disease.
13. Question:
Can the seasonal flu vaccine be given at the same time as other vaccines?
Answer:
Yes, the seasonal flu vaccine can be given at the same time as the routine childhood vaccines and at the same time as pneumococcal vaccine. The vaccination should be delayed if you or your child has a fever, but it can be given if they have a minor illness such as a cold.
