Why have you been invited to have a flu jab?

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Barbra Chapman
7 years ago
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1 Flu jab 2014

2 Your GP has invited you to get a free flu jab. This brochure gives you some background information on this. If you decide that you want a flu jab, don t wait till there is a lot of flu around but have it now. It takes two weeks for the flu jab to take effect. Why have you been invited to have a flu jab? About one in ten people catch flu every winter. In most cases, this is an unpleasant ailment that clears up spontaneously. Some people can become very ill, however. They are in a risk group. You are in a risk group too; that is why you are being offered a flu jab. If you catch flu, this could lead to serious complications. You need a new flu jab every year to ensure effective protection. The best time to get it is between mid-october and mid-november. Who needs a flu jab? People in the following risk groups are eligible for a free flu jab: anyone aged 60 or over; people with chronic heart or lung disease; people with diabetes; people with kidney problems; people with reduced immunity due to a disease or to medication that lowers their immunity. If you are in one of these risk groups and you are pregnant, you can still have the flu jab. It does not have any ill effects on your unborn baby.

3 The flu jab reduces the risk of catching flu. Benefits of the flu jab The flu jab reduces the risk of catching flu. You can still catch flu if you have had a flu jab, but that is less likely and your symptoms may be milder. Flu symptoms are often milder if you have had a flu jab. There is less risk that you will get pneumonia or some other complication. If you already have a medical complaint such as lung disease or diabetes, catching flu can make your condition worse. Having a flu jab makes these extra complications less likely.

4 How does the flu jab work? Flu (short for influenza) is caused by the influenza virus. The flu jab improves your resistance to this virus by stimulating your body to make antibodies against it. It takes about two weeks after the flu jab for your antibodies to reach the right level. If you become infected with the influenza virus after that, the antibodies will counteract the effect of the virus so you won t get ill. The influenza virus can be spread by coughing, sneezing or even by someone talking to you or shaking your hand. The flu jab only protects you against the influenza virus, but not against other viruses such as the one that causes the common cold. You cannot get flu from the flu jab. Further information (in Dutch only) about how the flu jab works is available from the websites en Does the flu jab have side-effects? The arm in which you have the flu jab may feel tender during the coming day, and the site of the flu jab may be painful, red or swollen. You may feel unwell for a couple of days after the flu jab. Serious side-effects are rare. If you do have side-effects after the flu jab, you should tell your GP who will pass this information on to the Netherlands Pharmacovigilance Centre Lareb. You can also report your side-effects directly to the website lareb.nl. This website is in Dutch and English, but the procedure for reporting side-effects is only available in Dutch. Reporting side-effects to Lareb helps to improve the safety of medicines and vaccines.

Why do I need a flu jab every year? The flu jab offers protection for about half a year. This means that last year s flu jab is no longer effective. Moreover, the influenza virus changes regularly.

5 Why do I need a flu jab every year? The flu jab offers protection for about half a year. This means that last year s flu jab is no longer effective. Moreover, the influenza virus changes regularly. Even if the flu jab is still active, it may not protect you against a new type of influenza virus. This is another reason for getting a flu jab every year, so that your body can make new antibodies. Experts predict which types of influenza virus are most likely to occur in the coming winter, and the composition of the flu jab is determined on this basis. The annual flu jab protects you against the most common types of influenza virus. You need a flu jab every year.

6 Things you need to know if you decide to have a flu jab: The flu vaccine is injected into the upper arm. Please make sure that the clothes you are wearing when you come for a flu jab make it easy to expose your upper arm. If you are allergic to albumin (the protein found in white of egg), you should mention this to your local GP or the doctor at the healthcare institution where you are staying. Important facts about the flu jab The flu jab reduces your risk of catching flu. If you are in one of the above-mentioned risk groups and you are pregnant, you can still have the flu jab. It does not have any ill effects on your unborn baby. The flu jab offers protection for about half a year. Moreover, the influenza virus changes regularly. That means that you need to get a flu jab every year. The best time to get it is between mid-october and mid-november. Your arm may feel a bit painful for a day after you get the flu jab, but you cannot get flu from the flu jab. The flu jab is free. The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) decides who is eligible for a free flu jab in the Netherlands, on the advice of the Health Council of the Netherlands (Gezondheidsraad).

7 Further information Further information about the annual flu jab (in Dutch only) is available from the website and Or you can ask your local GP or the doctor at the healthcare institution where you are staying.

8 RIVM is responsible for organizing the national flu prevention programme in the Netherlands, under the authority of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS). The Dutch College of General Practitioners is the scientific society of Dutch general practitioners, with the mission of improving and supporting evidence-based general practice in the Netherlands. This is a publication of: National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) August 2014 The Dutch College of General Practitioners (Nederlands Huisartsen Genootschap, NHG)

Why have you been sent an invitation to get a flu jab?

Why have you been sent an invitation to get a flu jab? Flu jab 2015 Your doctor or GP will invite you to attend for a flu jab. This leaflet contains details about the flu jab The best time to get a flu jab is from mid-october to mid-november. You will be given