Although flu can be mild, for some people it is serious. So please don’t miss out on getting your free flu vaccine.
Flu spreads easily, especially in closed environment like care homes, and getting vaccinated doesn’t just protect the individual, it also helps protect those around them. Annual flu vaccination is one of the best ways to protect against catching or spreading flu. This is why flu vaccination is free for social care staff, and why we are urging care home and domiciliary care managers to encourage their staff to get vaccinated against flu as well as COVID-19.
For employers, we would encourage you to discuss these important vaccinations with your staff. Keeping a record of staff vaccine status (if staff agree to this) will help you better understand who is protected, and be useful if an outbreak occurs.
Frontline social care staff can get their flu vaccine free at a community pharmacy, and in some areas the community pharmacy will arrange to come to your organisation to vaccinate staff there if you arrange it with them. This is really popular in some areas who are reporting excellent uptake in their staff, which is so important as the people who live in care homes and those who receive domiciliary care are often the most vulnerable in society.
Public Health Wales are urging social care staff with direct client contact to have their free NHS flu vaccine as soon as possible, and also to be fully up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines as we head into winter.
Flu vaccines are quick and very safe, and could prevent weeks of serious illness.
If you have any questions about flu or COVID-19 vaccinations you can find more information here:
Flu vaccine: phw.nhs.wales/fluvaccine
COVID-19 vaccine: phw.nhs.wales/covidvaccine
To read this post in Welsh, click the following link: https://c3sc.org.uk/mae-brechu-yn-achub-bywdydau/?lang=cy
