Stay Well This Winter - Flu & COVID-19

Cold weather can be seriously bad for your health. That's why it's important to look after yourself, especially during the winter.

As we get older, changes to our bodies mean that cold weather and winter bugs affect us more than they used to. In the new year of 2023 there were 5,500 patients in hospital with flu and more than 9,000 patients with COVID.  If you are eligible, the best thing you can do to protect yourself and ease pressure on the NHS is to join the what is circa 20 million people that will receive their vaccine.

So it’s a good idea for us all to use the MECC approach and encourage people who are more at risk to take up the flu and COVID-19 jabs and undertake simple actions to lower the risk of catching both flu and COVID-19. 

Very Brief Intervention

Ask

Do you know that a free flu and COVID-19 jabs are available on the NHS to people who are at increased risk?

These flu and COVID-19 to help protect people against catching flu or COVID-19 and developing serious complications if they do catch it

Have you been offered a free winter jab before? Do you normally take up this offering?

You might be fighting fit now but a winter jab can protect you and your loved ones from catching flu or COVID-19?

Do you have any concerns or worries about taking up a free flu or COVID-19 jab? There are many myths about the flu and COVID-19 jabs, some people believe the flu or the COVID-19 vaccine causes you to feel ill.

It no possible to get flu or COVID-19 from the vaccines because the vaccine doesn’t contain live viruses.

While it is true that a small number of people can experience side effects such as headache or muscle pain, in this small number of cases this is the body’s immunity recognising the vaccine and creating a reaction.

Although these symptoms can be uncomfortable, they will usually disappear within a few days after the injection, and most people do not feel much more than an achy/sore arm

Did you know that Flu is not simply a bad cold and it can increase your risk of more serious illness?

A seasonal flu jab will help protect you at the time of the year when you are most vulnerable.  People aged 65 and over and those with long term health conditions are at a greater risk of having serious complications from the flu compared with younger, healthy adults.

These complications could be severe and result in you being admitted to hospital

The Department of Health and Social Care estimate that around 8,000 people in England die from flu each year.

Do you know why you need to a flu jab or COVID-19 booster each year?State that Flu and COVID-19 are highly infectious diseases caused by viruses that are always changing. Whilst COVID-19 is not in the news as much, this virus is still with us and will be for some considerable time to come.

The viruses that are most likely to cause flu are identified in advance and the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends which type of flu virus strains to include in the vaccine each year.

People who received an COVID-19 booster vaccine last year were around 53% less likely to go to the hospital with Covid in the two to four weeks after getting vaccinated, compared to those who didn't get a booster.

Last year's autumn booster programme saw almost 84% of over-80s vaccinated and more than 73% of 65-70-year-olds, protecting the most vulnerable and helping us to live with Covid.

Assist

Do you know when you should get the flu jab or COVID-19 booster, would you like some more information on this?

Most doctor’s surgeries and pharmacists start to offer the seasonal jabs in late September or early October. It takes between 10-14 days for the vaccine to take effect so its best to have it as soon as this is advised.

You can have the flu and COVID vaccines at the same time. You can also receive other vaccines for which you are eligible e.g. pneumococcal and shingles – speak to your practice nurse or GP.

Would you like some information on who is entitled to a free flu or COVID-19 booster jab?

The flu vaccine is offered free of charge on the NHS to people who are at risk. This is to help protect them against catching flu and developing serious complications.

The flu vaccine is routinely given on the NHS to:

  • The below groups will be eligible for a flu vaccine from 1 September 2023:

    • those aged 65 years and over
    • those aged 6 months to under 65 years in clinical risk groups (as defined by the Green Book, chapter 19 (Influenza))
    • pregnant women
    • all children aged 2 or 3 years on 31 August 2023
    • primary school and secondary school aged children (from Reception to Year 11)
    • those in long-stay residential care homes
    • carers in receipt of carer’s allowance, or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person
    • close contacts of immunocompromised individuals
    • frontline workers in a social care setting without an employer led occupational health scheme including those working for a registered residential care or nursing home, registered domiciliary care providers, voluntary managed hospice providers and those that are employed by those who receive direct payments (personal budgets) or Personal Health budgets, such as Personal Assistants

Would you like some information on where you can go for a free flu jab?

You can have the flu jab at your doctor’s surgery or a local pharmacy offering the service

The COVID-19 booster eligibility for Autumn 2023

  • The below groups will be eligible for a COVID-19 booster from 1 September 2023:

    • Residents in a care home for older adults
    • All adults aged 65 years and over
    • Persons aged 6 months to 64 years in a clinical risk group, as laid out in the Immunisation Green Book, COVID-19 Chapter (Green Book)
    • Frontline health and social care workers
    • Persons aged 12 to 64 years who are household contacts (as defined in the Green Book) of people with immunosuppression
    • Persons aged 16 to 64 years who are carers (as defined in the Green Book) and staff working in care homes for older adults.

The JCVI also advises primary course vaccination for individuals in the above cohorts who have not had any previous doses should be offered. They should receive a single dose of COVID-19 vaccine during the campaign period.

Act

Self Care

Following the COVID pandemic Flu and COVID-19 vaccinations are currently being offered this year on the NHS to help protect vulnerable groups at risk of flu & COVID-19 and its complications. These viruses can be unpleasant, but if you're otherwise healthy, it'll usually clear up on its own within a week.

But flu and COVID-19 can be more severe in certain people, such as:

  • anyone aged 65 and over
  • children and adults with an underlying health condition (such as long-term heart or respiratory disease)
  • children and adults with weakened immune systems

Visit the following websites for full information on seasonal vaccines and who can is entitled to this and why.

Flu vaccine - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

COVID-19 vaccination - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

What else can I do to protect myself against the flu and COVID-19?

You have probably already heard of Catch it, Bin it, Kill it.  This is still great advice!

During flu season you should get into the habit of washing your hands regularly with soap and warm water, particularly after spending time amongst large groups of people, or having contact with someone who is sick.

You should also keep shared surfaces (such as door handles and telephones) clean, and avoid sharing food, crockery, cutlery, or towels with any people who have the flu.

You can often treat flu or COVID-19 symptoms without seeing a GP and should begin to feel better in about a week

Flu symptoms can include:

  • a sudden fever – a temperature of 38C or above
  • an aching body
  • feeling tired or exhausted
  • a dry cough
  • a sore throat
  • a headache
  • difficulty sleeping
  • loss of appetite
  • diarrhoea or tummy pain
  • feeling sick and being sick

The symptoms are similar for children, but they can also get pain in their ear and appear less active.  If your symptoms are not improving or getting worse you should ring NHS 111.

 

COVID-19 symptoms can include:

  • a high temperature or shivering (chills) – a high temperature means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
  • a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours
  • a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
  • shortness of breath
  • feeling tired or exhausted
  • an aching body
  • a headache
  • a sore throat
  • a blocked or runny nose
  • loss of appetite
  • diarrhoea
  • feeling sick or being sick

The symptoms are very similar to symptoms of other illnesses, such as colds and flu. 

COVID-19 Symptoms and what to do - NHS

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/covid-19/covid-19-symptoms-and-what-to-do/

How to treat flu or COVID-19 yourself

To help you get better more quickly:

  • rest and sleep
  • keep warm
  • take paracetamol or ibuprofen to lower your temperature and treat aches and pains
  • drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration (your pee should be light yellow or clear)

Please note that Antibiotics do not work for viral infections such as colds, flu, COVID-19, and most coughs and sore throats.  In most cases your pharmacist should be the first point of call as they can help advise you on appropriate colds and flu remedies to help manage symptoms such as fever, headache, aches and pains, and fatigue.

National Support and Information Services

Key Websites:

NHS Conditions - Flu https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/flu/

NHS Conditions - COVID-19 https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/covid-19/