(if you are eligible for a free one from the NHS)
About 600 people a year die from flu in the UK, rising to around 13,000 during an epidemic.
Flu vaccination is available every year on the NHS to protect people at risk of flu and its complications.
Flu can be unpleasant, but if you are otherwise healthy it will usually clear up on its own within a week.
However, flu can be more severe in certain people such as:
- anyone over the age of 65
- pregnant women
- people with an underlying health condition (particularly long-term heart or respiratory disease, liver disease, kidney disease and others)
- people with weakened immune systems
If you’re in one of these risk groups, you’re more likely to develop potentially serious complications of flu, such as pneumonia (a lung infection), so it’s well worth having a flu jab every year to protect you. Flu jabs for people in risk groups are available free on the NHS.
Check out the NHS webpage for yourself, everything you always wanted to know about the flu jag:
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/pages/flu-influenza-vaccine.aspx
If you are not in one of the at risk categories or over 65 years old, then unfortunately the government will not provide you with a free flu jag. It simply doesn’t have the funding to do this. However, if you would still like to get one, you can pay £18 at the Travel Clinic Glasgow Airport to have this service provided.
Call 0141 8484800 to arrange an appointment.
