Flu In Adults

The flu vaccine is offered free on the NHS to anyone with a serious long-term health condition, including:

• Respiratory conditions, such as asthma (needing steroid inhaler or tablets), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including emphysema and bronchitis
  diabetes
• Heart conditions, such as coronary heart disease or heart failure
• Being very overweight – a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or above
• Chronic kidney disease
• Liver disease, such as hepatitis
• Neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), or cerebral palsy
• A learning disability
• 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 taking Medicines such as steroid tablets or chemotherapy

Talk to your doctor if you have a long-term condition that is not in one of these groups. They should offer you the flu vaccine if they think you’re at risk of serious problems if you get flu.

You should have the flu vaccine if you’re pregnant to help protect you and your baby.

It’s safe to have the flu vaccine at any stage of pregnancy.

Most If you’re a frontline health and social care worker, your employer should offer you a flu vaccine. They may give the vaccine at your workplace.

You can also have an NHS flu vaccine at a GP surgery or a pharmacy, if you’re a health or social care worker employed by a:

• Registered residential care or nursing home
• Registered homecare organisation
• Hospice

You can also have the flu vaccine if you provide health or social care through direct payments or personal health budgets, or both.

Most adults can have the flu vaccine, but you should avoid it if you have had a serious allergic reaction to a flu vaccine in the past.

You may be at risk of an allergic reaction to the flu vaccine injection if you have an egg allergy. This is because some flu vaccines are made using eggs.

Ask a GP or pharmacist for a low-egg or egg-free vaccine.

If you’re ill with a high temperature, it’s best to wait until you’re better before having the flu vaccine.

The flu vaccine gives the best protection against flu.

Flu vaccines help protect against the main types of flu viruses, although there’s still a chance you might get flu.

If you do get flu after vaccination, it’s likely to be milder and not last as long.

Having the flu vaccine will also stop you spreading flu to other people who may be more at risk of serious problems from flu.

It can take 10 to 14 days for the flu vaccine to work.

Flu vaccines are very safe. All adult flu vaccines are given by injection into the muscle of the upper arm.

Most side effects are mild and only last for a day or so, such as:

• Slightly raised temperature
  Muscle aches
  Sore arm where the needle went in – this is more likely to happen with the vaccine for people aged 65 and over

Try these tips to help reduce the discomfort:

• Continue to move your arm regularly
  Take a painkiller, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen – some people, including those who are pregnant, should not take ibuprofen unless a doctor recommends it

It’s very rare for anyone to have a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to the flu vaccine. If this does happen, it usually happens within minutes.

The person who vaccinates you will be trained to deal with allergic reactions and treat them immediately.

Anyone can report a suspected side effect of a vaccine through the Yellow Card Scheme.

There are several types of injected flu vaccine. None of them contain live viruses so they cannot give you flu.

If you’re eligible for the flu vaccine on the NHS, you’ll be offered one that’s most effective for you, depending on your age:

• Adults aged 18 to 64 – there are different types, including low-egg and egg-free ones
• Adults aged 65 and over – the most common one contains an extra ingredient to help your immune system make a stronger response to the vaccine

Children aged between 6 months and 2 years who have a long-term health condition are offered an approved injected flu vaccine instead of the nasal spray vaccine.

Talk to a GP, practice nurse or pharmacist for more information about these vaccines.