Beat Flu Before It Beats You!

The annual national campaign to encourage people in eligible groups across Wales to have flu vaccination and protect themselves from the illness has been launched. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

‘Beat Flu’ aims to encourage the people who need it most get protection each year against flu, a potentially dangerous disease. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

This includes everyone aged 65 and over, people with certain chronic long term health conditions and pregnant women. Carers, volunteers providing planned emergency first aid and Community First Responders, are also entitled to the vaccine, which is delivered as a small injection in the arm. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Frontline health and social care workers should have the vaccine as part of their occupational health care, to protect themselves and those they care for. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The vaccine programme will be extended this year for children and those between the ages of two and seven will be eligible. The vaccine for children is administered as a simple nasal spray with children aged 2 and 3 receiving it at their GP practice while those in reception class, school years one, two and three will receive the spray at school. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​