The complications of flu mostly can affect us all but especially people in high-risk groups, such as the elderly, pregnant women and those who have a long-term medical condition or weakened immune system.

In some people with long-term health conditions, getting flu can make their condition worse. For example, people with lung conditions such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may find that their symptoms become more severe when they get the flu.

In people with diabetes, flu can affect blood sugar levels, potentially causing hyperglycaemia (high blood sugar) or, in people with type 1 diabetes, diabetic ketoacidosis (a dangerous condition caused by a lack of insulin in the body).

However, despite health messages that stress the importance of having the annual flu vaccination, many people choose to take the risk and avoid free immunisation from the flu and its potential complications. Occasionally symptoms can become serious. Flu can also kill.

Each year, the viruses that are most likely to cause flu are identified in advance and vaccines are made to match them as closely as possible. The vaccines are recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The symptoms of flu usually develop within one to three days of becoming infected. Most people will feel better within a week or so however, a lingering cough and the feeling of being very tired are likely to hang about for a further couple of weeks.

Flu myths that just aren’t true!

You can get the flu from a flu vaccination	Not true. The injected flu vaccine that is given to adults contains inactivated flu viruses, so it can't give you flu. Your arm may feel a bit sore where you were injected, and some people get a slight temperature and aching muscles for a couple of days afterwards, but other reactions are very rare
The flu isn’t serious, it’s just like having a heavy cold	A bad bout of flu is much worse than a heavy cold. Flu symptoms come on suddenly and sometimes severely. They include fever, chills, headaches and aching muscles, as well as a cough and sore throat. You're likely to spend two or three days in bed. If you get complications caused by flu, you could become seriously ill and have to go to hospital.
I’ve had the flu vaccination before so I don’t need another one	Not true. The viruses that cause flu can change every year, so you need a vaccination each year that matches the new viruses. The vaccine usually provides protection for the duration of the flu season that year.
Flu can be treated with antibiotics	No, it can't. Viruses cause flu, and antibiotics only work against bacteria. You may be prescribed antiviral medicines to treat your flu. Antivirals do not cure flu, but they can make you less infectious to others and reduce the length of time you may be ill.  To be effective, antivirals have to be given within a day or two of your symptoms appearing. A bacterial infection may occur as a result of having the flu, in which case you may be given antibiotics.
I've had the flu already this autumn, so I don't need the vaccination this year	You do need it if you're in one of the risk groups. As flu is caused by several viruses, you will only be protected by the immunity you developed naturally against one of them. You could go on to catch another strain, so it's recommended you have the jab even if you've recently had flu. Also, what you thought was flu could have been something else.
It’s too late to get the flu jab	No, it's not too late. It's better to have the flu vaccine as soon as it becomes available, usually in October, but it's always worth getting vaccinated before flu comes around right up until March.
I'm pregnant, so I shouldn't have the flu jab because it will affect my baby.	You should have the vaccine whatever stage of pregnancy you are in. If you're pregnant, you could get very ill if you get flu, which could also be bad for your baby. Having the jab can also protect your baby against flu after they're born and during the early months of life.
Children can't have the flu vaccine	Yes they can!  The nasal spray flu vaccine is recommended for all healthy two, three and four-year-old children plus children in school years one, two and three. In addition, children ‘at risk’ of serious illness if they catch the flu are eligible for a flu vaccine on the NHS. This includes children with a pre-existing illness such as a respiratory or neurological condition and children who are having treatment that weakens their immune system such as chemotherapy. The flu vaccine is generally given to children aged 6 months to 2 years as an injection and to children aged 2 to 17 years as a nasal spray. The flu vaccine isn't suitable for babies under the age of six months. The children's flu nasal spray vaccine contains live but weakened flu viruses that will not give your child flu.
Vitamin C can prevent flu	No, it can't. Many people think that taking daily vitamin C supplements will stop them getting flu, but there's no evidence to prove this.

Dr Andrew Phillips, a local GP and the CCG’s Deputy Chief Clinical Officer said: “The Flu vaccine is the best protection we have against an unpredictable virus that can cause unpleasant or severe illness in children and pregnant women and even death among at-risk groups, including older people, and those with an underlying medical health condition.

“Protection from the injected flu vaccine gradually decreases over time because flu strains change. This is why new flu vaccines are produced each year to combat the most likely strains and therefore people are advised to have the flu jab every year, and especially those at risk.

“I urge our community to arm themselves with the correct information about flu, and protect themselves with the flu vaccine by registering to receive it at their local GP Practice or participating Pharmacy.”

City of York Council’s Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Health and Chair of the city’s Health and Wellbeing Board Councillor Carol Runciman said: “We would like to encourage residents across York, particularly those who fall into the key groups, to arrange to receive the flu vaccine.  The impact of flu on frail and vulnerable patients in communities and in care homes can be fatal so it is important we try to reduce the incidence of flu this winter in York to manage the health and wellbeing of our residents.

“As winter draws nearer, many people will suffer with ill health and residents can benefit from the NHS flu vaccination service now being offered in GP surgeries and pharmacies across the city which will help people stay well the winter.”

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