Flu vaccine: Dr Hilary warns of ‘logistical challenge’ on GMB

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The NHS is aiming to vaccinate 35 million Brits against flu, as warnings from the Academy of Medical Science have forecast 15,000 to 60,000 deaths from flu this winter, making this flu season twice as deadly as an average year. Whether you are eligible for a free vaccine from the NHS, or you’re considering paying for your own protection, here’s everything you need to know about the flu vaccine side effects.

Millions of Brits are being urged to get a flu vaccine this year, including more under-18s than ever before, in order to avoid a super flu season in 2021.

The flu jab is offered by the NHS every year to ‘vulnerable’ people.

If you are in any of the below categories, you are eligible for a free flu jab:

  • Children aged two to three on August 31, 2021
  • All school-age children up to Year 11s
  • Anyone ‘high risk’ aged between six months and 50
  • Pregnant women
  • Over-50s (including if you turn 50 by March 31, 2021)
  • Unpaid carers
  • Close contacts of immunocompromised individuals
  • Frontline health and adult social care staff

If you don’t fall into any of the categories qualifying you for a free flu jab, you still might consider paying for the vaccine from a high street pharmacy.

Flu can make you severely unwell, and experts are predicting after eighteen months of on-and-off isolation, the flu could be back with a vengeance.

This is because the cases of flu fell so low last year, because of limited mixing of people from different households, we could see a drop in immunity.

Meanwhile, coronavirus remains a threat and people should continue to take sensible measures to protect themselves from Covid.

If you get flu and Covid at the same time,you can become severely ill, so the best advice is to protect yourself as much as you can against both illnesses.

But what are the common side effects of the flu jab?

The NHS emphasises flu jabs are “very safe” and encourages many people to get jabbed in order to protect themselves and those around you.

The side effects are described as “mild” by the NHS, and most commonly include:

  • Raised temperature
  • Muscle aches
  • Sore arm where the needle went in – this is more likely for people aged 65 and over

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The NHS recommend keeping your arm moving to soothe the muscle ache, and taking a painkiller such as paracetamol or ibuprofen.

Side effects should clear within two or three days of having the vaccine, and while they can be uncomfortable, they are far milder than the symptoms of the flu.

In very rare cases, people can have an allergic reaction to the flu vaccine.

If you are allergic to the flu vaccine, it will normally happen within minutes of receiving the jab, but the person who vaccinates you will be trained in treating allergic reactions.

What are the symptoms of flu?

Some people think of the flu as being a really bad cold, but unfortunately the flu virus is much more severe than this.

The most common symptoms of flu are:

  • Fever
  • Chills
  • Headache
  • Aches and pains in the joints and muscles
  • Extreme tiredness

If you’re reasonably fit and healthy, you will most likely recover from the flu within a week.

However, for others the flu can lead to being hospitalised, developing a permanent disability, or even death.

The flu is spread by coughs, sneezes and other droplets from infected people. Your best chance of protecting yourself from the flu is getting vaccinated.

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