Everything you need to know about the flu virus
Health experts tell LISA SALMON why now is the time to get a flu vaccination... and how to avoid catching it in the first place
THE flu season is just around the corner, and with cases of the virus already starting to appear, now is the best time to get yourself protected.
Flu is a nasty and potentially dangerous infection, and its impact is often underestimated.
Public health experts say around 15,000 people died from flu-related causes in the UK last year, including complications such as pneumonia arising from an initial flu infection.
Most – although not all – of those who become seriously ill are in at-risk groups which are offered free vaccinations on the NHS. And while the peak flu season doesn’t usually begin until December, now is the best time to get vaccinated, as it takes between 10-14 days for the immune system to respond fully.
The NHS says that, while the optimum time to have a flu vaccine is from the beginning of October to the end of November, if you have the vaccine later, it will still offer some protection.
And, contrary to some media reports, the NHS insists there’s no shortage of the vaccine, while supplier Seqirus says any remaining phased vaccine deliveries to GPS and pharmacies will have been completed by the end of this week.
The at-risk groups offered free vaccinations are adults aged 65 and over, people with long-term health conditions such as diabetes, asthma or heart disease and children in at-risk groups from six months of age, pregnant women, children aged two to nine years old, and carers of elderly and disabled people. They also include anyone living in a long-stay residential care home or other long-stay care facility.
Each year, the viruses most likely to cause flu are identified and the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends which type of strains to include in the vaccine. This season there are three types of flu vaccine available, depending on your age and risk level.
Public Health England head of flu Dr Richard Pebody says: “Flu can be extremely serious and can kill the most vulnerable. Vaccination is by far the best defence we have.
Anyone at increased risk from the effects of flu is offered the vaccine free – speak to a GP or pharmacist, or look out for an invitation from your child’s school, to get yourself or your loved ones protected this winter.
“To help prevent the spread of flu, practise good hand hygiene. Catch coughs and sneezes in a tissue, throw the tissue away and wash your hands.”
Here are 10 things you should know about flu:
1 WHEN someone with flu coughs or sneezes, expelled droplets can infect people up to 6ft away.
2 IN the UK, the annual flu season runs from about October to March or April, although most cases occur between December and February. 3
FLU leads to hundreds of thousands of GP visits and tens of thousands of hospital stays a year. But, if you’re otherwise healthy, the virus will usually clear up on its own within a week. 4 THE flu virus is extremely variable and changes over time. Each year there are different strains around, and a new vaccine has to be prepared to deal with them. Vaccination from previous years isn’t likely to protect people against current strains of flu. 5
OXFORD University’s Vaccine Knowledge Project says there are three basic types of flu: A, B and C. Type A is the most dangerous and can cause serious disease and trigger worldwide pandemics. Type B can make you feel very ill, but has never led to a pandemic, and Type C causes mild disease. 6 TYPICALLY, effectiveness of the flu vaccine is in the range of 30-60%, and the NHS stresses having a flu vaccination 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.
However, if you do get flu after
vaccination, it’s likely to be milder and shorter-lived than it would
otherwise have been. 7
SIDE-EFFECTS of the nasal vaccine may include a runny or blocked nose, headache, tiredness and loss of appetite. The injected vaccine may have side-effects including a sore arm at the site of the injection, a low-grade fever and aching muscles for a day or two after the vaccination. Serious sideeffects with either the nasal spray or jab are extremely rare.
8
LAST year, only 68.7% of front line NHS staff took up the free flu vaccination. This autumn, NHS Employers has rolled out its Flu Fighter campaign for the third consecutive year, aiming to encourage more health workers to have the jab. 9
THE European Commission estimates more deaths are caused by flu than by car accidents across the continent each year. Yet, around 100 million people who should have the flu jab annually don’t take it up, despite recommendations from the World Health Organisation. 10
RESEARCH from the universities of Lincoln and Nottingham suggests the flu vaccine can reduce the risk of having a stroke by about a quarter.
WHEN it comes to love, we all speak different languages. Your love language encapsulates both the way you communicate love and how you perceive expressions of love from others.
According to Dr Gary Chapman, author and marriage counsellor, understanding your love language and that of your partner is central to the success of the relationship.
In his book, The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts, he suggests there are five primary love languages to look out for.
QUALITY TIME: For people who speak the language of quality time, the most powerful expression of love is having someone’s full and undivided attention. Another person being there, fully present, without distractions is what love is all about.
Having half an eye on your phone, cancelling plans or not listening properly are likely to be especially hurtful for someone who speaks this language.
WORDS OF AFFIRMATION: For speakers of this language, hearing the words “I love you” and the reasons why are hugely important. Kind words, praise and compliments are how to make them feel loved and appreciated.
Criticism or insults are keenly felt and could be particularly damaging to the relationship.