12 December 2014
People in the Borders who are eligible for the flu vaccine are being urged to get protected before the end of the year.
Time is running out to make sure that people who are eligible for the flu vaccine are protected this Christmas and New Year period against flu.
NHS Borders is reminding everyone who are eligible for the vaccine and have yet to receive it, especially those people who are ‘at risk’, to get their annual flu vaccine as soon as possible. Flu is a serious illness and the vaccination helps protect against the virus. People who are ‘at-risk’ can be hit harder with flu and can suffer more complications.
With three bays in the Department of Medicine for the Elderly (DME) Ward 10 at the Borders General Hospital remaining closed to admissions as a precaution due to the presence of confirmed Influenza A infection (flu) and routine visiting to DME is currently being discouraged, it is even more important now for Borderers to be protected.
People that are eligible for the free flu vaccine are: those aged 65 and over, under 65s with existing long-term medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, multiple sclerosis and other heart, lung and liver diseases, pregnant women and unpaid carers of any age. Health and social care staff who deal directly with patients or clients are also recommended to receive the flu vaccine.
This year’s vaccination programme has been extended to include 2-11 year olds, as they are two to three times more likely to be ill with flu than adults. Parents of children aged 2-5 who are not yet in school and have yet to receive the vaccine, should contact their GP practice to arrange their vaccination. Children aged 5-11are being offered the vaccination in school.
New uptake figures for the Borders show the percentage of people yet to be vaccinated.
The figures highlight those still to receive the vaccine include:
- 27 per cent of those over 65 years
- 50 per cent of people under 65 with underlying health problems such as asthma
- 48 per cent of pregnant women
- 48 per cent of 2-3 year olds
“Last year’s vaccine may not protect against this year’s viruses so annual re-vaccination is advised to guard against any risk of reduced immunity.”
Dr Patterson further added: “The flu vaccine has an excellent safety record and takes about 14 days for you to be protected against the flu after having the vaccine so it’s best to get it as early as possible to help protect you for the Christmas and New Year period. To prevent spread of flu and other viruses, people should also use a tissue to cover their nose and mouth with a disposable single-use tissue when sneezing, coughing, wiping and blowing noses and dispose of used tissues in the nearest waste bin. Hands should also be washed after coughing, sneezing or using tissues.”
If you are confused about whether you are eligible for the vaccine, or would like to find out more information about it, contact NHS Inform on 0800 22 44 88 or log on to www.immunisationscotland.org.uk for further information on immunisation programmes.