Don t Let Flu Bowl You Over.

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Theodore McLaughlin
9 years ago
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1 Don t Let Flu Bowl You Over. What to do if you are 65 or over, or have a long term medical complaint that puts you at risk. Making it work together

2 Flu What should I do about it? Contained within this leaflet is information about flu, flu vaccination and what to do if you, or someone you know, get flu. Please read it carefully and keep it safe for future reference. By following these guidelines you can reduce the effects of flu this winter. 1 What is flu? This section tells you what you need to know about the flu virus. 2 Who needs flu vaccination? Read this to determine if you, or someone you know, are at risk and require a vaccination. 3 How do I get an appointment for vaccination if I need one? Advice on when appointments will be arranged and when at risk patients should approach their GP practice. 4 What is the flu vaccine? What you need to know about the flu vaccine and its effectiveness. 5 What should I do if I get flu? How to deal with the symptoms of flu and whether you need to contact your GP. If you, or someone you know, are at risk and catch flu, contact your GP if you are concerned. 6 What about helping others? Signs to look out for if you think a neighbour has flu and may require help.

3 1 What is flu? Flu is an illness caused by a virus. Flu viruses are always changing, so this winter s flu will be slightly different from last winter s. How is flu spread? Flu can be spread by the coughs and sneezes of people who are already infected. It can spread very rapidly. How do I know if I have flu? A lot of people confuse flu with a heavy cold. But flu causes symptoms that you don t get with a cold: A high fever A headache No energy A shivery feeling Aching limbs What also makes flu different from a cold is that it usually starts suddenly and is more severe. How long does flu last? You may feel really ill and have a temperature for up to a week. You could feel weak and in low spirits for several weeks longer. How serious is flu? For most people flu is just a nasty experience, but for others it can lead to more serious illnesses such as bronchitis and pneumonia. These illnesses will need treatment by your doctor and may need treatment in hospital. Sadly, every winter a lot of, mainly older, people die from influenza.

4 2 Who needs flu vaccination? A flu vaccination is recommended if you are: 65 years old or over. If you are over 6 months and have: A chronic heart or chest complaint including asthma or bronchitis Chronic kidney disease Diabetes Lowered immunity due to disease or treatment such as steroid medication, cancer treatment, no spleen or splenic dysfunction Any other long term medical complaint check with your doctor if you are unsure. Vaccination is also recommended for: People living in places where there is a high risk of flu spreading quickly, such as nursing homes. If you are unsure about whether or not you should have a flu vaccination, speak to your pharmacist or GP practice, who will be able to provide advice. Why shouldn t everyone have a flu vaccination? Healthy people under 65 don t need to be vaccinated: Flu isn t a serious risk for them. Is there anyone who should not be vaccinated? You should not be vaccinated if you have a serious allergy to hens eggs. It is generally not advised if you are pregnant. If in doubt, ask your doctor.

5 3 How do I get an appointment for vaccination if I need one? Appointments to be vaccinated are usually arranged between late September and early December. Some patients may have been contacted already by their GP practice regarding an appointment. In other cases, practices may not yet have contacted patients directly. To allow these practices adequate time to do this, please wait until the middle of October before contacting your practice to find out about the local arrangements for flu vaccination. 4 What is the flu vaccine? Flu vaccine contains the ingredients from three different strains of flu virus. The viruses are grown in hens eggs, then killed and purified before being made into vaccine. How effective is the vaccine? Flu vaccine is pretty effective. Most people who have been vaccinated will not get flu but if you do catch flu, it is most likely to be milder than if you had not been vaccinated. Flu vaccination protects against flu. It will not protect you against the many other viruses that are around every winter. Some of these cause similar symptoms to the flu, and are more often called flu. But flu is generally more serious than these other infections, so it still makes sense to have a flu vaccination. Can influenza vaccine cause flu? No. The vaccine does not contain any live virus, so it cannot cause flu.

6 Does the vaccine have side effects? Flu vaccinations are very safe. You may get some soreness where the vaccine was injected. Less often, people get a slight temperature and aching muscles for a couple of days after being vaccinated. Other reactions are very rare. 5 What should I do if I get flu? Flu is a virus so antibiotics won t help unless the flu has led to more serious illnesses, such as bronchitis or pneumonia. You can take a painkiller such as paracetamol or aspirin to help relieve the headache and muscle pains and reduce your temperature. Remember to read the label and don t exceed the recommended dose of any form of medication. You should ask your pharmacist for advice if you intend to take more than one form of medication to relieve your flu. Don t give aspirin to children under 12 years old. The best way to treat flu is to: Stay at home, keep warm and rest this will help you recover more quickly in the long run Drink plenty of non-alcoholic liquids to replace the fluid lost in sweating Eat what you can. You can make a feverish child more comfortable by sponging them with tepid (not cold) water. If you live on your own, tell a friend or neighbour you are ill so that they can check on you, bring in some food, or do any essential shopping. I heard you can now treat flu? One antiviral drug has been available for treating flu for a long time, others are either recently licensed or in development. They may shorten the symptoms of flu but only by about one day on average. If you are in one of the risk groups, prevention is better than cure.

7 Should I contact my doctor? An initial visit to your pharmacy will provide advice and also any recommendation for appropriate medication. There is usually no need to contact your doctor. However, if you are frail or elderly then you are at greater risk from flu and should consult your doctor if concerned. All flu sufferers should consult their doctor if: Your temperature doesn t settle after four or five days Your symptoms get worse You think you are seriously ill You develop chest pain or become short of breath. If you are worried, you can discuss your symptoms with your GP practice over the phone rather than making an appointment at the practice. Can I avoid getting flu? If you have not been immunised it is difficult to avoid flu if there is an epidemic. Keeping away from crowded places can help. You should also encourage people with flu to stay at home to avoid infecting others. 6 What about helping others? If you know there is flu around, be a good neighbour: Watch out for signs that a neighbour may be ill: They may not be going about their normal activities Mail, milk or papers may not have been taken into the house after a day or so Curtains, normally opened, may be left closed during the daytime. Offer to make drinks or do the shopping for a sick neighbour if they live alone or if you think they may not be able to cope.

8 Further copies of this leaflet can be obtained from: The Scottish Executive Health Department by ing or faxing You can also visit our website at which also contains versions of this year s flu leaflet and poster in Gaelic, Gujerati, Urdu, Cantonese, Bengali, Arabic and Punjabi. For information on health matters, local health services and how to stay warm and healthy this winter, call the NHS Helpline free on , 8am 10pm, 7 days a week (minicom number ) Making it work together

The flu vaccination WINTER 2016/17. Who should have it and why. Flu mmunisation 2016/17

The flu vaccination WINTER 2016/17 Who should have it and why Flu mmunisation 2016/17 The flu vaccination 1 Winter 2016/17 Helping to protect everyone, every winter This leaflet explains how you can help