Why am I being offered this vaccination?
It’s important that you receive the flu vaccination this year to help protect yourself and those around you.
Flu is an unpredictable virus that can kill thousands of people during a flu season.
The seasonal flu virus in circulation alongside COVID-19 would add to the winter pressures usually faced by our staff with more patients expected to be admitted to hospital with flu.
Getting the flu vaccine and COVID-19 booster is more important than ever this autumn to help reduce hospitalisations.
Your health, safety and wellbeing is our priority. Getting vaccinated against flu and COVID-19 will provide protection for you and those around you from both these potentially serious illnesses – this is why I encourage you to get your flu jab and COVID-19 booster as soon as possible.
Why is it so important that I receive both vaccines this year?
Flu and COVID-19 can both be life-threatening and spread more easily in winter when we are more likely to be indoors or in crowded spaces.
As a health or social care worker, you will be caring for people who may be at greater risk from these viruses.
It’s easy to pass on COVID-19 or flu without knowing. Even if you’re healthy, you can still catch COVID-19 or flu and spread it to the people you care for causing severe illness which can lead to hospitalisation or even death. Getting vaccinated is the best way we have to protect yourself and those around you.
It is vital that we help maintain protection against severe illness from COVID-19 and flu this winter to avoid additional pressure on the NHS and social care systems during the busy winter period.
I had the flu vaccination last year. Do I need to have it again?
Yes, because the viruses that cause flu can change every year. This means the flu (and the vaccine) this year may be different from last year. If you had the flu vaccine last year, either because you were and health and social care worker, pregnant or because you’re in a vulnerable group, you need to have it again this year.
How effective is the flu vaccine?
The flu vaccine is your best protection against the virus. It will not stop all flu viruses
but if you do get flu after vaccination, it’s likely that if you do still catch the flu the
disease will be milder and shorter-lived than it would otherwise have been.
It takes the immune response about two weeks to fully develop after vaccination.
Will the flu jab give me flu?
No. The injected vaccine used for adults does not contain any live viruses, so it cannot cause flu. Some people get a slightly raised temperature and aching muscles for a couple of days afterwards, and you may feel sore at the injection site.
Are there any side effects?
Like all medicines, vaccines can cause side effects. Most of these are mild and short term, lasting no longer than a week, and not everyone gets them.
Flu vaccines have a good safety record. 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.
Is the NHS confident the vaccines are safe?
Yes – the MHRA, the official UK regulator authorising licensed use of medicines and vaccines by healthcare professionals, has said these vaccines are safe and highly effective, and we have full confidence in their expert judgement and processes.
Can I have the flu vaccine if I’m pregnant or breastfeeding?
JCVI advice recommends that you should have a flu vaccine if you are eligible. 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 from the first few weeks up to your expected due date.
Women who have had the flu vaccine while pregnant also pass some protection on to their babies, which lasts for the first few months of their lives. It’s safe for women who are breastfeeding to have the vaccine.
Is the flu vaccine mandatory for staff?
No, having the flu vaccine is not compulsory for health and social care staff, but it helps to provide important protection for these individuals and those they
come into contact with.
