Get your free flu vaccine and keep yourself and those you care for safe this winter

Mums-to-be, health and social care workers, children and people aged over 65 are among those who can claim a free flu vaccination this month.

Seasonal flu vaccination helps reduce serious illness, hospitalisation and death, and reduces pressure on doctors, hospitals and social care.

This winter’s NHS vaccination programme ends on 31 January and those who are eligible include:

• pregnant women
• children aged from two to 16
• frontline workers in a social care setting
• people aged over 65
• people aged between six months and 65 years old in a clinical risk group
• carers
• close contacts of people who are immunosuppressed
• people in residential care.

Cllr Lisa Denson, Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Cabinet Member for Poverty, Public Health and Mental Health, said:

“Flu is never nice but for some people it can be really dangerous and even life-threatening.

“By having the vaccine you’re not just protecting yourself, you’re protecting those you care for from what could be a really serious illness for them.

“Winter is not over yet, and neither is flu season, but you still have time to get the vaccine and get protected.”

Even if you have had the vaccine in previous winters, or had the flu, your protection will need to be topped up because immunity fades and viruses change over time.

For more information on the vaccine and how to access it visit:

http://www.nhs.uk/wintervaccinations