12/09/2020
The community newspaper for East Bristol, “The Week In” says that with cooler weather now approaching, local NHS services are preparing to get flu vaccinations rolled out to those who need the, including those who are elderly or who have underling health conditions. Although it has been somewhat eclipsed in the public consciousness by coronavirus Covid19, flu is highly infectious and actually kills around half a million people world wide every year. It is serious. Although a lot of television commercials present it as something just a paracetamol will cure, the reality is that flu will knock you back for several weeks and if you possibly can, you should take a week or two weeks out of work to recover. Symptoms can his suddenly and severely and can include fever, chills, headaches and aching muscles. Another symptom that might happen is a highly sensitive skin, which feels almost electric like. Anyone can get flu, but it can be more serious for certain people such as senior citizens, people who have underlying health issues, pregnant women and young children. The NHS offers free vaccinations to all those at risk patients. You need to be registered in advance to get a flu vaccine, which can be done via the NHS app. There is also a page on vaccines at the NHS website, where you can read about getting a jab and whether there might be side effects for you. If you are HIV positive, then the flu jab is certainly recommended by HIV charities such as the Terrence Higgins Trust. An extensive guide to vaccines for people who are positive is available on the THT website, just search “Terrence Higgins Trust flu vaccine” and the page should come up in most browsers. You can also call Terrence Higgins Trust on 0808 802 1221.
