Flu is an unpredictable virus that can cause mild illness in most people. It can cause severe illness and even death among vulnerable groups including older people, pregnant women and people with an underlying health condition
Flu is an unpredictable virus that can cause mild illness in most people. It can cause severe illness and even death among vulnerable groups including older people, pregnant women and people with an underlying health condition.
Certain people are more likely to develop potentially serious complications of flu, such as bronchitis and pneumonia. These people are advised to have a flu vaccine each year. For otherwise healthy people flu can be very unpleasant, however most people will recover from flu within a week or two.
Flu circulates every winter and generally peaks in December and January. This means many people get ill around the same time. However, it is impossible to predict how many cases of flu there will be each year or exactly when it will peak.
No, just people who are at particular risk of problems if they catch flu. Ask your private GP about having an NHS flu vaccination if:
you're aged 65 or over
you're pregnant
you have a serious medical condition
you live in a residential or nursing home
you're the main carer for an elderly or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if you fall ill
your child is in an at-risk group and is aged 6 months to 2 years
You should also have the flu vaccination if you are a healthcare or social care worker directly involved in patient care.
Some pharmacies also offer free NHS flu vaccination to adults in the categories listed above. They do not offer this service for children.
Find out more about who should have the flu vaccine.
Complications such as bronchitis and pneumonia are more common in people with other conditions, especially if they are also older.
In long-stay residential homes, vaccination helps prevent the rapid spread of flu among residents.
The final decision about whether you should be offered the vaccination on the NHS is a matter for your GP, based on your medical history and circumstances.
Children aged 2 and 3 plus children in reception class and school years 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 are eligible for the free nasal spray flu vaccine as well as all children with a health condition that puts them at greater risk from flu.
The flu vaccine will provide protection for you for the upcoming flu season. People eligible for flu vaccination should have the vaccine each year.
In 2018 there are 3 different types of flu vaccine:
a live quadrivalent vaccine (which protects against 4 strains of flu), given as a nasal spray. This is for children and young people aged 2 to 17 years eligible for the flu vaccine
a quadrivalent injected vaccine. This is for adults aged 18 and over but below the age of 65 who are at increased risk from flu because of a long-term health condition and for children 6 months and above in an eligible group who cannot receive the live vaccine
an adjuvanted injected vaccine. This is for people aged 65 and over as it has been shown to be more effective in this age group
If your child is aged between 6 months and 2 years old and is in a high-risk group for flu, they will be offered an injected flu vaccine as the nasal spray is not licensed for children under 2.
Yes, it's fine to have the flu vaccine while you are taking a course of antibiotics, provided you are not ill with a fever.
It takes between 10 and 14 days for your immune system to respond fully after you've had the flu vaccine.
Yes. The viruses that cause flu can change every year, which means the flu (and the vaccine) this winter may be different from last winter.
No. The vaccine does not contain any live viruses, so it cannot cause flu. You may get a slight temperature and aching muscles for a couple of days afterwards, and your arm may feel a bit sore where you had the injection. Other reactions are rare, and flu vaccines have a good safety record.
For children, the nasal spray vaccine cannot cause flu because the viruses in it have been weakened to prevent this from happening.
The best time to have a flu vaccine is in the autumn, from the beginning of October to the end of November. If you've missed this time, you can have the flu vaccine later in the winter although it's best to get it earlier.
Yes. 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. You also need to take precautions if you have an egg allergy.
Read more about who should not have the flu vaccine.
Adults who aren't eligible for a flu vaccine on the NHS can pay for a flu vaccination privately. The flu vaccine may be available from pharmacies or in supermarkets. It is provided on a private patient basis and you have to pay. The vaccine costs up to £20.
Vaccination prevents healthcare workers passing flu on to, or getting flu from, their patients. It also helps the NHS to keep running effectively during a flu outbreak, when GPs and hospital services are particularly busy.
Yes. The vaccine poses no risk to a breastfeeding mother or her baby, or to pregnant women.
Yes. In fact it is important to get the flu vaccine if you are pregnant. It is safe to have at any stage of pregnancy, including in the first trimester and right up to the expected due date. It helps protect the mother-to-be and her newborn baby from catching flu.
