The Minster Practice, Lichfield
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Last updated 25/08/2008 Real influenza is more than a sore throat, aching muscles and fever. Even for the most healthy, the illness is seriously debilitating and unpleasant but usually self limiting and without complications. However.... .....Some people by virtue of age, pre-existing illness, occupation etc are at much increased risk of serious illness, complications requiring hospital admission (including several types of pneumonia) and even death. The higher death rate seen in winter usually follows the pattern of influenza activity. Responsibility for occupational influenza immunisation rests with the employer. There is insufficient evidence that routine immunisation reduces sickness absence rates in healthy employees. However, the Department of Health now expects NHS employers to offer this immunisation to front line employees. Social care employers are advised to consider similar action. Other employers may also review the cost/benefit ratio of offering protection. The NHS will not cover the costs of this "occupational" protection unless you are eligible by falling into one of the recommended high risk groups.
The vaccine contains killed virus particles. As the particles are dead the vaccine CANNOT give anyone flu. A week to 10 days after vaccination your body makes antibodies against the flu virus which last about a year. The vaccine is very effective and most people will not catch flu. If you do catch flu after being vaccinated it should be much milder than without the vaccine. Of course, you are not protected against the various other viruses circulating. Many of these cause similar symptoms to flu, including cold viruses, but these viruses are much less severe. The flu virus circulating around the world changes regularly. The strains included in the vaccine are recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The WHO continuously and carefully maps the strains as they move around the world. Vaccine manufacturers are given WHO predictions of which strains are most likely to cause influenza outbreaks in the coming winter. This happens in the Spring so that there is sufficient time to produce the millions of doses required before the following Winter. Sometimes the WHO gets it wrong and a second vaccine has to be rapidly prepared at the last minute or even after the first vaccine has already been given. In recent years, the strains have been a very good match. New strains are always worrying as there is less immunity in the population and worldwide pandemics can kill millions. (More people died in the "Spanish" influenza pandemic of 1918 than soldiers did throughout the whole of the first world war - at least 30 million. Less serious pandemics occurred in 1957, 1968 and 1977). In 2000, all 3 strains were different to previous years including a totally new strain (New Caledonia). The vaccine is very safe. You may get some soreness where the vaccine was injected. Less often, some people have a mild fever or aching muscles for a couple of days. Other reactions are very rare. You MUST NOT receive the vaccine if you have a serious allergy (not just a dislike) to hens' eggs as the vaccine is grown on hens' eggs. After purification of the vaccine some egg protein may remain which is enough to cause a reaction in those with a serious allergy. The brand of vaccine we use does not contain mercury (thiomersal) and mercury is not used during the manufacturing process. Details of our clinics can be accessed via the button on the left or click here. As we cannot increase staffing just for this campaign without a large increase in NHS costs, the hundreds of doses of vaccines are given at set clinics. This enables a maximum number of vaccines to given by our nurses assisted by our limited number of office staff who deal with all the paperwork. We write to as many patients as possible who fall into the higher risk categories under age 65 but some letters go astray every year and some people at risk cannot be identified. In view of this, we also publicise the dates and times of the flu immunisation clinics. If you are totally housebound, let us know and we will ask the district nurses if they have time to come and vaccinate you. Details of this year's clinics are available on this website. In October 2000, the Health Authority started sending out cards to those age 65 and over each year and advised them to seek vaccination at their doctor's practice. In view of this, we do not write to our over 65s. Please note that we have to guess how much vaccine to order as we have to place the order in February/March. We cannot recoup the cost of any vaccine not given so overestimating has to be avoided. Publicity in newspapers and on television near the times of the clinics can have the effect of either increasing or reducing demand. If we run out of vaccine and cannot obtain further supplies from the manufacturer we will obviously have to cancel the later clinics. We will issue prescriptions so that you can try and find a pharmacist with supplies. As already mentioned, the evidence of benefit for those not in high risk groups is mixed. The Post Office used to offer immunisation to its employees but the uptake was patchy and there was no significant reduction in sickness absence. However, a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine for the winter period 1994-95 showed 25% reduction in upper respiratory infections and reduction in sickness absence of 43%. All illnesses in the immunised group were down by 36% and GP surgery attendances were down by 44%.
Flu jabs 'could stop thousands of heart deaths'The Times 18/3/07
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