The Ultimate Guide to Flu Vaccination

What is the flu?
The flu is an infectious respiratory illness that you can catch all year round.  Even so, there are some times of the year considered the flu “season” - especially the winter. Common symptoms are fever, aches, sore throat and runny nose.  The best way to help protect yourself against the flu is the flu vaccine. Not only does this protect you, but it also helps reduce the risk of spreading the flu amongst others. The vaccine may not prevent flu entirely, but it will help to shorten the duration and decrease symptoms.

Who will be offered the flu vaccine?

  • Primary school children
  • Children aged 2-5
  • Adults aged 16 years or over who live with someone who has a compromised immune system
  • Adult carers - paid or unpaid
  • NHS independent contractors
  • Frontline social care workers
  • Detention service providers (front facing)
  • Household contacts of immunosuppressed people (over age 16)
  • Adults age 65 or over
  • Pregnant women
  • Anyone over 6 months old with certain health conditions
  • Frontline health care workers

It takes approximately ten days for the vaccine to be fully effective. After you receive the vaccine, you may experience what you think are symptoms, but it is not the flu, rather it is your immune system getting ready to fight the flu. You are giving yourself a head start.

The flu vaccine is updated every year because the flu virus itself changes every year.

Who cannot have the vaccine?
You cannot have the flu vaccine if:

  • You have had any serious allergic reaction such as anaphylaxis to any previous dose or any previous doses of the flu vaccine
  • You have had a serious allergic reaction to any of the ingredients in the vaccine  
  • If you are allergic to eggs, you should ask for a special formulation of the vaccine

What is in the vaccine?
The main ingredient in the vaccine is a small amount of the virus that has been weakened or destroyed in a laboratory first. Vaccines can also contain aluminium, squalene oil, pork gelatine, human serum albumin and recombinant albumin, egg protein, formaldehyde, or antibiotics.  All of these ingredients, even if they might be ingredients you’ve heard can be harmful (such as formaldehyde) are in very low doses and are safe for consumption.

Book your flu vaccine in Earlsfield today by visiting Pearl Chemist Group online today.  www.pearlchemistgroup.co.uk