Need to know
For #TeamEEAST Last updated: 24 April 2024 at 16:46
We will have more information on this programme as soon as it become available. If you have any further questions or concerns, please email flu@eastamb.nhs.uk
What is happening?
From the beginning of October 2022, we will be running the annual flu vaccine programme. We will be inviting all staff and volunteers to receive the Flucelvax Tetra influenza vaccine. We encourage all staff to have the vaccine to not only protect friends and families but also our patients who could be clinically vulnerable.
How to book?
Clinics for the Flu vaccine can be booked in three ways:
Flu vaccinations will be available through local arrangements for clinic availability and as a walk-in option via the flu bus. Please keep an eye out on NeedtoKnow and via your sector communication platforms for a list of dates.
Why do I need the Flu vaccine?
As a trust we strongly encourage all staff and volunteers to have the flu vaccine. Having the flu vaccine means that you will be less likely to spread the flu to elderly and vulnerable patients who could be more seriously ill with the flu. It will also give you and your family the best protection from the flu.
Do I need to wear a face mask when receiving my flu vaccine?
Yes, we strongly encourage that when you get your flu vaccine you are wearing a face mask to prevent spreading COVID or any other virus/illnesses.
Where can I get the COVID booster?
Access to the booster jab will be via external sites and you can book this via the NHS National booking service.
I’m not a frontline worker and the NHS national booking service tells me I’m not eligible for the COVID Booster, but I work for EEAST. What should I do?
If you are patient facing, over 50 years old or clinically vulnerable then you will be eligible for the COVID Booster. A letter to present to your GP will be available shortly on NTK if you would like the new COVID19 booster and are eligible.
Is it safe to have the flu and Covid-19 jab at the same time?
Having both jabs together has been tested thoroughly and is recommended by JVCI and PHE to have both vaccines together.
What if I have tested positive for COVID/ have symptoms?
If you are symptomatic or have tested positive you should follow isolation guidance until symptom free and have a negative test. Once clear, you can have the vaccine. Do not attend a clinic if symptomatic or following a positive test.
I had the Astra Zeneca vaccine last time, is it safe to have a different booster vaccine?
Yes. The new COVID booster vaccine has both the COVID strain and the Omicron variant and is called a Bivalent COVID-19 vaccine.
Pfizer has a new name, why?
This was due to the licencing change to make the vaccine more accessible and so is being distributed under a new name, Comirnaty. The contents are exactly the same.
I’m pregnant, should I have both vaccines?
There is lots of guidance provided for those that are pregnant to make an informed choice but the overarching message is that it is safe and even if pregnant you are encouraged to get the vaccines.
What will the side effects be?
Like most vaccines, your arms may feel sore. The usual side effects may arise such as headache, lethargy and nausea however these are rare and should pass relatively quickly if they do arise. Normal analgesia such as Paracetamol and Ibuprofen can be taken.
Do I need to wait fifteen minutes after having the flu vaccine?
Yes. After the vaccine you will be required to wait 15 minutes to safeguard against any potential allergic reactions.
I don’t want the flu jab, can I just get my Covid Vaccine booster?
Although we, and NHS health officials, recommend that having the two jabs together is the best way of staying healthy over winter having just one vaccine is available.
Can the flu vaccine cause flu?
No. The injected vaccine does not contain any live viruses, so it cannot cause flu. You may get a slight temperature and aching muscles for a couple of days afterwards, and your arm may feel a bit sore where you had the injection. Other reactions are rare, and flu vaccines have a good safety record.
If I had the flu vaccine last year, do I need it again now?
Yes. The viruses that cause flu can change every year, which means the flu (and the vaccine) this year may be different from last year.
Each year new strains of flu circulate; the vaccine itself changes to suit the current. This year we have a quadrivalent vaccine, protecting you, family, friends and patients against four known flu viruses.
Can the flu vaccine increase the chances of respiratory complications due to COVID?
There is not enough evidence to tell us yet. It is unlikely that either of these things will happen however; there are no obvious links to concern.
How effective is the flu vaccine?
A flu vaccine is the best protection we have against an unpredictable virus that can cause unpleasant illness in children and severe illness and death among at-risk groups, including older people, pregnant women and those with an underlying medical health condition.
Studies have shown that the flu vaccine will help prevent you getting the flu. It won't stop all flu viruses and the level of protection may vary, so it's not a 100% guarantee that you'll be flu-free, but if you do get flu after the vaccination it's likely to be milder and shorter-lived than it would otherwise have been.
There is also evidence to suggest that the flu vaccine can reduce your risk of having a stroke.
Over time, protection from the injected flu vaccine gradually decreases and flu strains often change. So new flu vaccines are produced each year, which is why people advised to have the flu vaccine need it every year too.
How long will the flu vaccine protect me for?
The flu vaccine will provide protection for you for the upcoming flu season. People eligible for flu vaccination should have the vaccine each year. There are several types of flu vaccine. Those eligible will be offered the one that is most effective for them, depending upon their age.
How safe is the flu vaccine?
The flu vaccines used in the national programme have a good safety record. Flu vaccines that have been licensed recently in England have been thoroughly tested before they’re made available and have been used in other countries with a good safety record.
The only risk is an allergic reaction. And the risk of having a serious anaphylactic reaction to the jab is less than one in a million. That’s lower than getting seriously ill from having the flu itself.
If you have had a serious allergic reaction to a flu vaccine, or any of its components, you should always talk to your GP prior.
Published 22nd September 2022