Seasonal Flu Vaccination

Flu (also known as influenza) is a highly infectious illness caused by the flu virus. It spreads rapidly through small droplets coughed or sneezed into the air by an infected person.   For most people, flu is unpleasant but not serious. You will usually recover within a week.

Studies have shown that flu vaccines provide effective protection against the flu, although protection may not be complete and may vary between people. Protection from the vaccine gradually decreases and flu strains change over time. Therefore, new vaccines are made each year and people at risk of flu are encouraged to be vaccinated every year.

The flu vaccination is offered to people in at-risk groups. These people are at greater risk of developing serious complications if they catch flu, such as pregnant women and elderly people.

Should I get the Flu Vaccination?

For most people, flu is unpleasant but not serious. You will usually recover within a week.

However, certain people are at greater risk of developing serious complications of flu, such as bronchitis and pneumonia. These conditions may require hospital treatment.

The flu vaccine is offered free to people who are at risk, to protect them from catching flu and developing serious complications.

People who should have a flu vaccine

The injected flu vaccine is offered free of charge on the NHS to people who are at risk.

This is to help protect them against catching flu and developing serious complications.

You should have the flu vaccine if you: 

• are 65 years old or over 
• are pregnant
• have serious medical conditions (see below for more details)
• are living in a long-stay residential care home or another long-stay care facility
• Those aged 2, 3 and 4 years old. 
• receive a carer's allowance, or you're the main carer for an elderly or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if you fall ill
• live with someone who's at high risk of coronavirus (on the NHS shielded patient list) or you expect to be with them on most days over winter

Later in the year, the flu vaccine may be given to 50-64-year-olds. More information will be available later in the autumn.

However, if you are aged 50-64 in an at-risk group, you should not delay having your flu vaccine.

Frontline health and social care workers are also eligible to receive the flu vaccine. It's your employer's responsibility to arrange and pay for this vaccine.

You may also be able to have the flu vaccine at the GP surgery or a local pharmacy offering the service if you're a frontline health or social care worker employed by a:

• registered residential care or nursing home
• registered homecare organisation
• hospice

Pregnant women

It is recommended that all pregnant women should have the flu vaccine, whatever stage of pregnancy they're in.

This is because there is good evidence that pregnant women have an increased risk of developing complications if they get flu, particularly from the H1N1 strain.

Studies have shown that the flu vaccine can be safely and effectively given during any trimester of pregnancy. The vaccine does not carry risks for either the mother or baby. In fact, studies have shown that mothers who have had the vaccine while pregnant pass some protection to their babies, which lasts for the first few months of their lives.

People with medical conditions

People with medical conditions

The flu vaccine is offered free to anyone who is over six months of age and has one of the following medical conditions:

• chronic (long-term) respiratory disease, such as severe asthma, COPD, emphysema or bronchitis
• chronic heart disease, such as heart failure
• chronic kidney disease at stage three, four or five
• chronic liver disease, such as hepatitis
• chronic neurological disease, such as a stroke, Parkinson’s disease, motor neuron disease, multiple sclerosis, TIA or post-polio syndrome or cerebral palsy.
• diabetes
• A learning disability
• a weakened immune system due to conditions such as HIV, or treatments that suppress the immune system such as chemotherapy
• problems with your spleen – for example, sickle cell disease or if you have had your spleen removed
• a weakened immune system as the result of conditions such as HIV and AIDS, or medicines such as steroid tablets or chemotherapy
• being seriously overweight (a BMI of 40 or above)

Frontline health or social care workers

Employers are responsible for ensuring that arrangements are in place for frontline healthcare staff to have the flu vaccine.

Outbreaks of flu can occur in health and social care settings, and staff, patients and residents are at risk of infection.

Frontline health and social care staff should protect themselves by having the flu vaccine to prevent the spread of flu to colleagues and other members of the community.

If you care for someone who is elderly or disabled, speak to your GP about getting vaccinated against seasonal flu. You should also ensure that the person you care for has the flu jab.

Children

An annual nasal spray flu vaccine will be offered to all children aged two, three or four years on 1 September 2017 as part of the NHS childhood vaccination programme.

It will also be offered to children aged 2-18 with long-term health conditions like diabetes, heart disease and lung disease.

Children aged six months to 2 years with long-term health conditions aren't able to have the nasal spray and will get the injected flu vaccine instead.

Who should not have the flu vaccination?

You should not have the flu vaccine if you have ever had an allergic reaction to a flu vaccine or one of its ingredients. This happens very rarely.

Flu vaccine for children