For most people, flu is unpleasant but not serious. You will usually recover within a week.
However, certain people are at greater risk of developing serious complications of flu, such as bronchitis and pneumonia. These conditions may require hospital treatment.
The flu vaccine is offered free to people who are at risk, to protect them from catching flu and developing serious complications.
At-risk groups
It is recommended that you have a flu jab if you fall into one or more of the following categories:
- are 65 years old or over (including those becoming age 65 years by 31 March 2018)
- all pregnant women (including those women who become pregnant during the flu season)
- all those aged two, three, and four years old (but not five years or older) on 1 September 2017
- all school-aged children who are part of the pilot childhood programme
- have a serious medical condition (see below)
- are living in a long-stay residential care home or other long-stay care facility (not including prisons, young offender institutions or university halls of residence)
- people who are in receipt of a carer’s allowance, or those who are the main carer of an older or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if the carer falls ill
- are a frontline health or social care worker (see below)
If you are the parent of a child who is over six months old and has a long-term condition on the list below, speak to your GP about the flu vaccine. Your child's condition may get worse if they catch flu.
Pregnant women
It is recommended that all pregnant women should have the flu vaccine, whatever stage of pregnancy they're in.
This is because there is good evidence that pregnant women have an increased risk of developing complications if they get flu, particularly from the H1N1 strain.
Studies have shown that the flu vaccine can be safely and effectively given during any trimester of pregnancy. The vaccine does not carry risks for either the mother or baby. In fact, studies have shown that mothers who have had the vaccine while pregnant pass some protection to their babies, which lasts for the first few months of their lives.
People with medical conditions
The flu vaccine is offered free to anyone who is over six months of age and has one of the following medical conditions:
If you live with someone who has a weakened immune system, you may also be able to have a flu vaccine. Speak to your GP about this.
Frontline health or social care workers
Employers are responsible for ensuring that arrangements are in place for frontline healthcare staff to have the flu vaccine.
Outbreaks of flu can occur in health and social care settings, and staff, patients and residents are at risk of infection.
Frontline health and social care staff should protect themselves by having the flu vaccine to prevent the spread of flu to colleagues and other members of the community.
If you care for someone who is elderly or disabled, speak to your GP about getting vaccinated against seasonal flu. You should also ensure that the person you care for has the flu jab.
Children
An annual nasal spray flu vaccine will be offered to all children aged two, three or four years on 1 September 2017 as part of the NHS childhood vaccination programme.
It will also be offered to children aged 2-18 with long-term health conditions like diabetes, heart disease and lung disease.
Children aged six months to 2 years with long-term health conditions aren't able to have the nasal spray and will get the injected flu vaccine instead.
Who should not have the flu vaccination?
You should not have the flu vaccine if you have ever had an allergic reaction to a flu vaccine or one of its ingredients. This happens very rarely.