Kineton Surgery

Healthy people don’t get seasonal flu. FALSE! Anyone can pick up the virus. Generally, 15-20 per cent of the population gets flu each year – healthy people included! If you can catch flu, you can pass it on to those who are at more risk of serious illness annually.

Flu is a mild illness so I don’t need to be vaccinated. FALSE! For the majority of people who catch it, flu is simply unpleasant. For some, however, it is much more serious. Globally, seasonal flu accounts for about three to five million cases of severe illness and between 250,000 and 500,000 deaths.

The side effects of the vaccination are really bad. FALSE! For the most part, side effects of the seasonal flu vaccination are mild or often non-existent. For the jab, these are usually a slight soreness around the site of the injection and occasionally some aching of muscles or a slightly raised temperature. For the nasal spray flu vaccination, the most common side effects are a blocked or runny nose and feeling under the weather.

I’ve had a flu vaccine before so I don’t need it again. FALSE! 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.

I’ve had the flu already this autumn, so I don’t need the vaccination this year. FALSE! 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 vaccine even if you’ve recently had flu. Also, what you thought was flu could have been something else.

Appointments available.

Jenny and Raj on behalf of Kineton Surgery
Your Local Family GP Practice

This site is maintained by villagers of Oxhill for the benefit of the community and those interested in the history, news and activities that make the village such a pleasant place to live.

Send mail to the editor of the Oxhill News at news-editor @ oxhill.org.uk.

Last modified: September 26, 2016