HEIGHTENED anxiety over swine flu could lead to large groups of vulnerable people missing out on the seasonal flu jab, health bosses warned last night.
Experts fear continuing concern over the swine flu virus could mean people aged over 65 and those with long-term illnesses forget to have their important yearly seasonal flu inoculation.
Because the seasonal flu virus mutates each year those most at risk are offered a new vaccination each winter.
But with swine flu top of people’s concerns, Prof John Newton, the director of public health for the South Central Strategic Health Authority, which covers Oxfordshire, said getting a influenza jab was just as critical.
A national vaccination campaign is currently under way.
Last night he said: “People should not underestimate the effects of seasonal flu – it isn’t the same as getting a cold.
“It can seriously affect your health and the risks of developing complications are greater if you have certain medical conditions.”
Flu – or influenza – is a highly-infectious illness caused by a virus, which kills roughly 8,000 people in the UK every year.
The virus is different from swine flu and a separate vaccination programme is being run.
Since October 21 frontline staff and high-risk patients at Oxfordshire’s hospitals have been given the swine flu vaccine as part of a national programme.
Those who fall into the high-risk category for seasonal flu include the elderly, those with illnesses like heart disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis and serious kidney and liver disease.
Pensioner Betty Atkins, 72, from Wallingford, spent much of her working life nursing elderly people and is urging others to have their seasonal flu jab.
The grandmother-of-five said: “I always have my jab without fail every year – I’m certain it works. I think people are a bit cautious about it because they’ve heard you can contract flu from the vaccination, which just isn’t true.
“Having gone through it – and having nursed people through it – I know how bad it is, so I would definitely urge people to take up the vaccination.”
For information on how to receive a free flu jab contact your GP or visit the wesite immunisation.nhs.uk
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