We want to raise your awareness, especially for those aged 65 and over, to take up their free NHS flu vaccination.

With 12,898 older people across Central Bedfordshire didn’t take up their jab last year, despite being most vulnerable to flu’s effects.
Many of those will have caught the virus and needed NHS treatment as a result.

While flu is a common ailment and many people can get over it with rest and fluids, for some people in high-risk groups, such as the elderly and those with long-term conditions, it can lead to serious and potentially life-threatening complications, such as pneumonia or bronchitis.

Health chiefs believe that the new vaccine could reduce GP consultations due to flu by 30,000, hospitalisations by over 2,000 and prevent over 700 hospital deaths in England, alleviating some of the health burden that seasonal flu places on the population, workplaces and the NHS.

To find out if you’re one of the 22 million people who are eligible for vaccination head to www.nhs.uk/staywell