Medical experts are urging the 5.4 million asthma sufferers in the UK to get the flu jab as soon as possible this winter, in a bid to avoid needless deaths.
Most asthmatics are entitled to a flu jab free on the NHS, because the condition puts them at higher risk of experiencing severe complications as a result of the influenza virus. But “a poll has found that almost one in four people with asthma do not plan to have the jab ahead of the cold spell”, says The Guardian.
“People with asthma who are shunning the flu jab could be playing Russian roulette with their life,” said Dr Andy Whittamore, Asthma UK’s clinical lead and a practising GP. “The majority of people with asthma say colds and flu are their top trigger, so it makes sense for them to try and protect themselves by getting the flu jab.”
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The flu vaccination is available every year on the NHS, which advises people to ask their GP if they are eligible to get it for free.
Over time, “protection from the injected flu vaccine gradually decreases and flu strains often change”, says the NHS website. “So new flu vaccines are produced each year, which is why people advised to have the flu vaccine need it every year too.”
Last week NHS England announced that health workers who refuse to take up the offer of a free flu jab will be asked to explain why they do not want to be vaccinated.
So what are the pros and cons of the flu jab?
Pros
People who get the vaccination will have a higher likelihood of avoiding the flu over the winter months, according to the NHS. And if you do get flu despite having the jab, it’s likely to be milder and shorter-lived than it would otherwise have been.
Last year saw the worst flu season in a decade, so the latest vaccine contains extra ingredients designed to help older people’s immune systems develop a stronger defence against the virus, says the BBC. Public Health England (PHE) predicts that the jab will lead to 30,000 fewer GP appointments, 2,000 fewer people needing hospital care and 700 fewer deaths from flu.
There is also evidence to suggest that having the flu vaccine can reduce the risk of suffering a stroke.
Cons
Serious side-effects are very rare but people who have the vaccine may have a mild fever and aching muscles for a couple of days afterwards, and their arm may be a bit sore at the injection site.
Some people may have an allergic reaction to the flu shot. If you have a negative reaction to the vaccine, symptoms usually occur within minutes to hours of receiving the vaccine. People who have an egg allergy may be at increased risk of reaction to the injectable flu vaccine, because some flu vaccines are made using eggs. Egg-free vaccines are now available from the NHS.
It’s extremely rare, but influenza virus vaccination may also trigger Guillain-Barre syndrome, a condition where the immune system begins to attack the nervous system.
