The flu vaccination is offered as a free NHS service every year to help protect those at risk of the flu. As well as offering the service privately, we can also provide free flu vaccinations in Manchester to protect you against any frequent flu viruses.
If you do get your flu vaccinations at Manchester pharmacy, it will be mild and won’t last as long. Also having the vaccine will stop you from spreading the flu to other people who may be at more risk. It will take 10 to 14 days for the vaccine to work.
The flu occurs every year, usually in the winter, which is why it’s sometimes called seasonal flu. It’s a highly infectious disease with symptoms that come on very quickly. Colds are much less serious and usually start gradually with a runny nose and a sore throat.
The most common symptoms of flu are fever, chills, headache, aches and pains in the joints and muscles along with tiredness. If you have your flu vaccination at Manchester Pharmacy people with overall good health will usually recover within 2-7 days however, for some the disease can lead to hospitalisation and even sometimes death.
How you catch the flu
Anyone can catch the flu, when an infected person coughs or sneezes, they spread the flu virus in tiny droplet’s of saliva. They can be picked up via surfaces you touch. You can prevent the spread of the virus by covering your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze. You should wash your hands frequently or use hand gels to reduce the risk of picking up the virus.
The best way to avoid catching and spreading the flu is by having the vaccination before the flu season start’s. You can get your flu vaccination at Manchester pharmacy today!
How to protect yourself?
When it comes to protecting yourself against the flu, the vaccine provides the best protection available. The most likely viruses that will cause the flu are identified in advance of the flu season and vaccines are then made to match them as closely as possible.
People sometimes think a bad cold is flu however, having flu can often be much worse than a cold and you may need to stay in bed for a few day’s. Some people are more susceptible to the effects of the flu. For them, it can increase the risk of developing more serious illnesses such as bronchitis and pneumonia, or can make existing conditions worse. In the worst cases, flu can result in a stay in hospital or worse.
The flu can affect anyone, however if you have long-term health condition’s, the effects of the flu can make it worse.
You should have the free flu vaccine if you are:
- Pregnant
Or you have long-term condition such as:
- A heart problem
- Breathing difficulties such as bronchitis, emphysema and asthma
- A kidney disease
- Lowered immunity (steroid medication or cancer treatment)
- Liver disease
- Had a stroke
- Diabetes
- A neurological condition such as (MS)
Your GP can assess you and take into account the risk of the flu making any underlying illnesses you may have worse.
All those who have any condition listed above, or who are:
- Aged 65years or over
- Living in a residential or nursing home
- The main carer of an older or disabled person
- A frontline health or social care worker
- Pregnant
- Children of a certain age
Those aged 50 to 64 years will be offered the flu vaccination this year.
Almost everybody can have the flu vaccine at Manchester pharmacy. You should avoid the vaccine if you show any allergies towards it. If you are allergic to eggs or have a condition that weakens your immune system, you may not be able to have certain types of flu vaccine. Its important to check with you GP.
Please contact us for further information on how to get your flu vaccine. We offer flu vaccination’s at Manchester pharmacy.
Book your flu vaccination today.
Updated flu vaccination regulations
A major rift has emerged in the flu vaccination strategy adopted by England and other home nations.
While the government has said England will ditch the Covid measures which saw the annual flu vaccine given free to adults aged 50-64 and secondary school children aged 11-15, Scotland and wales have broken ranks and declared they will continue to offer a free jab to these groups.
Prior to the covid pandemic, flu vaccinations were offered throughout the UK. They are offered to people over 65s, primary school children and at-risk groups for example, pregnant women and diabetics.
England, Scotland, wales and Northern Ireland extended the programme in winter 2020 to include millions of adults aged 50-64, as well as teenagers, to limit the number of people hospitalised with flu wards were being over-run with Covid patients.
