Influenza vaccine: Who needs the vaccine this winter and where can you get it?

The NHS is calling people to be vaccinated against the flu, not only to protect themselves, but also to limit the impact on the health service, which experienced a record crisis last year – partly to cause of a particularly serious flu.

The flu virus causes coughs, fatigue and fever for most people, but can lead to serious complications such as pneumonia that may require emergency treatment. Do not get sick is the best protection.

Who should receive the jab?

Adults who are more likely to become severely infected, including those over 65 years of age, people with long-term health problems, and pregnant women, may be vaccinated against influenza with their doctor, pharmacist, or service provider. midwife.

Two- and three-year-olds can also be vaccinated at their general practitioner's office, while children attending school up to the fifth year will be offered the flu vaccination in a nasal spray at school.

This will protect them, but it is also a way to protect grandparents and vulnerable family members, as children are often in very close contact with each other and less likely to cover coughs and sneezes. .

And if I'm not part of these groups?

Street pharmacists also offer jab privately. In most cases, this costs between £ 10 and £ 12, but some of the cheapest options are found in larger supermarkets, such as Asda and Tesco, with in-store pharmacies.

Check your local options as some people might need to make an appointment in advance.

Does it work?

No influenza vaccine is 100% effective, the virus is constantly spreading and mutating, and international travel allows an exotic strain of Japan to appear in Manchester within days.

The World Health Organization assesses these global trends and must predict the strains that will be dominant one year later, in order to have enough time to stockpile and vaccinate people.

Last year, there were signs that the JAB was less effective than expected, but there were also 3 million vulnerable people who had not had the JAB in January. There is plenty of evidence to suggest that a flu vaccine improves your chances of not getting sick, and that Simon Stevens, the NHS leader in England, said in October 2018 that this year's vaccine is "more effective than ever".

This is due to a "quadrivalent" vaccine, which protects against four types of flu and is available across the UK this year.

For most children and adults, this is the standard option, but the trivalent vaccine – three strains – is still offered to the vaccine because it is more effective.

Is it safe?

The sting is administered to millions of people each year and side effects are rare. The worst effects they can expect are arm pain and sometimes fatigue or headaches.

A recent survey showed that one-fifth of British adults feared the vaccine would give them the flu, but this concern is misplaced and can put people at risk if they suffer from long-term illnesses where flu poses a threat .

In rare cases, a patient may have a severe allergic reaction, which will occur in a few minutes or hours and should be treated as severe.

In a study funded by the US Center for Disease Control, it was also reported this year that the rates of miscarriage were higher among women who had received JAB. These results will obviously be of concern to mothers – who are part of the group where the jab is recommended – but the design of the study means that she can not prove that the jab was at the origin of the miscarriages and can not show than an association.

The study can not take into account a number of factors and the trend is currently the subject of a thorough investigation. Meanwhile, neither the CDC nor the NHS have changed their recommendations regarding vaccinations during pregnancy.

Do I need it?

Twelve months ago, Simon Stevens had warned that a "strong outbreak" was going to occur because the first signs of Australia and New Zealand – whose winter is our summer – corresponded to a record flu season.

This prediction has come true, but news from the southern hemisphere has so far been more reassuring this year, thanks in part to the quadrivalent move.

Every year, there are stories of healthy young people dying of influenza, but the fact that they make headlines if they are rare and people outside at-risk groups should not worry.

Those concerned may consider getting vaccinated in October or November for better protection.