Flu vaccination

The flu vaccine or jab is being given across the Northern Trust area now. If you are a member of our staff, you can get the vaccine at our walk-in clinics or from one of your colleagues who is a Peer Vaccinator.

If you are in one of the at risk groups such as aged over 65 or pregnant, you can access it through your GP. See details of who should get the flu vaccine at https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/flu-vaccination.

There isn’t a shortage of the flu vaccine this winter

There is a flu vaccine called Fluad® which is only for those aged over 65. It is being delivered to GP surgeries in batches from Sept-Nov. People should contact their GP surgery to clarify arrangements. There will be enough of this vaccine available for everyone who should get it this winter, and while people may not get it as early as they have in other years, they will still be receiving it well before flu circulation increases.

All other groups are not affected and the vaccine is readily available for pregnant women, those under 65 with an underlying health condition and all our staff.

Consent forms should have already been returned to schools for primary school children to receive the vaccine. They will get it during school time over the coming weeks. For children, it is a quick, painless spray up their nose, not an injection. Pre-school children aged two years and over can receive this vaccine through their GP also.

The flu virus spreads easily and quickly, infecting both adults and children. This can lead to miderable days spent in bed rather than being at work or school, upheaval for the whole family, not to mention putting more vulnerable people at great risk. Flu can be very serious. Last year 119 people were admitted into intensive care in Northern Ireland and 22 people died. Each year 1/3 of those who die through flu were otherwise healthy.

Please, if you should get the flu vaccine, make a plan for when you are getting yours now. It is the right thing to do to help protect yourself and those around you.

5th November 2018