Here at VSM Pharmacy we’ve been preparing for this year’s flu vaccination service. Free NHS flu jabs will be available at the pharmacy from the 1 October, unless you are a pregnant woman and then you can have your jab now in September.
The flu jab will be same as the vaccination offered by your GP, but with the convenience of being able to come into our pharmacy. We will also notify your GP practice when you have been vaccinated.
Primary school children up to Year 6 are also eligible for an NHS free flu vaccination which is delivered through a vaccination session at school. The vaccine is usually in the form of a nasal spray rather than an injection.
If you have a chronic health condition, then check with your GP to find out if you are eligible. A chronic conditions could be:
Pregnant women and anyone who is frail or has a chronic disease can become very ill from a dose of flu. Complications such as pneumonia or bronchitis can lead to a hospital stay. It can also make an underlying health condition worse. Pregnant women are at risk of miscarriage, low birthweight or premature birth.
The reason you need a new vaccine each year is because flu viruses change, and new strains appear all the time. A vaccine you had last year may not protect you against a new strain this year. Research is being carried out to produce a lifetime vaccine in the future, but it is likely to be many years into the future.
Not always. But if you get flu after you have been vaccinated then it is will probably be milder and you will get better sooner. It takes around 14 days for the vaccine to be effective.
The main symptom of flu is a high temperature which will be over 38.0ºC (100ºF. This can last 3 or 4 days. You will probably also have a sore throat, stuffy nose, headache and a dry cough. Your body will ache, and your muscles will feel sore. You may also have diarrhoea or feel sick. Flu makes you feel tired, and this might last for two or three weeks.
Flu is caused by a virus. It is present when an infected person sneezes or coughs and lets the virus out into the air or on to a surface. If you breathe in the virus or touch a surface where the virus has landed and then touch your mouth or nose, you will catch flu.
The symptoms of flu last between 3 or 4 days to a couple of weeks. But on average, you should begin to feel better after a week.
No. You can’t treat a virus with antibiotics. The best treatment is to stay at home and rest. You should take paracetamol for the high temperature and drink plenty of fluids, so you don’t dehydrate.
You can have the flu vaccination at the pharmacy for the cost of £24.99. You can make an appointment online for a free NHS vaccination or a private vaccination. You can also come into the pharmacy and speak to a member of staff or give us a call on 01276 21002.
It is possible to come into the pharmacy for your flu jab without an appointment. But you might have to wait for some time because we will deal with people with appointments first. If you can, it is best to make an appointment online.
The flu is much more than ‘just a bad cold’ and can claim the lives of thousands of people each year, particularly the old and the vulnerable. Yet, by receiving an annual flu vaccine from our pharmacy, you greatly reduce your risk of getting ill.
It As we’re getting through autumn and closer to winter you need to think about your vaccines against pneumonia and
