The Flu Jab
The flu vaccination is available every year on the NHS to help protect adults and children at risk of flu and its complications.
Flu can be unpleasant, but if you are otherwise healthy, it will usually clear up on its own within a week.
However, flu can be more severe in certain people, such as:
- anyone aged 65 and over
- pregnant women
- children and adults with an underlying health condition (such as long-term heart or respiratory disease)
- children and adults with weakened immune systems
- Anyone in these risk groups is more likely to develop potentially severe complications of flu, such as pneumonia (a lung infection), so it’s recommended that they have a flu jab every year to help protect them.
Who Should Get the Flu Jab?
The flu jab is routinely given on the NHS to:
- adults 65 and over (including adults over 18 at risk of flu)
- pregnant women
- children aged 2 and 3
- children in reception class and school years 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
- children aged 2 to 17 years at risk of flu
Talk to your pharmacist for more information about these vaccines
Where to Get the Flu Jab
You can have your NHS flu jab at:
All Imaan pharmacies now provide flu vaccination to adults (but not children) at risk of flu including pregnant women, people aged 65 and over, people with long-term health conditions and carers.
We also provide a private flu vaccination for those who are not eligible for the free NHS ones. Contact your local Imaan Pharmacy for more information. You can find your nearest one by clicking here:
How effective is the flu jab?
The flu jab is the best protection we have against an unpredictable virus that can cause unpleasant illness in children and severe disease and death among at-risk groups, including older people, pregnant women and those with an underlying medical health condition.
Studies have shown that the flu jab will help prevent you from getting the flu. It won’t stop all flu viruses, and the level of protection may vary, so it’s not a 100% guarantee that you’ll be flu-free, but if you do get flu after vaccination it’s likely to be milder and shorter-lived than it would otherwise have been.
There is also evidence to suggest that the flu jab can reduce your risk of having a stroke.
Over time, protection from the injected flu jab gradually decreases, and flu strains often change. So new flu jabs are produced each year, which is why people advised having the flu jab need it every year too.
How safe is the flu jab?
The flu jab used in the national programme has an excellent safety record.
When to have a flu jab
The best time to have a flu jab is in the autumn, from the beginning of October to end of November, but don’t worry if you’ve missed it, you can have the jab later in winter. Ask your pharmacist for more information today.
To find your nearest Imaan Pharmacy click here: Alternatively, contact a member of the team today if you have any additional queries.