People Urged to Get Five-Minute Flu Jab or ‘Risk Death’
Medical experts are urging eligible individuals to get their annual fluโฃ vaccination as soon as possible, warning that influenza is a potentially โlife-threatening illness, not simply a severe cold. The NHS offers free flu jabs to those atโ higher risk, with access available until the end of March 2026.
Dr. Jeff Foster, Medical โDirector of Manual.co,โ emphasized the benefits of early vaccination. “From a personal โฃperspective, this means that you are immune earlier and so โขare protected before the main bulk โคof the yearly diseaseโฃ spreads,” he explained. “Simply your risk of getting sick โand flu goes down if you are already vaccinated. The second reason is that this helps herd immunity. The more people โthat have vaccinated the harderโค it is for the virus to spread and that means that vulnerable people are โless likely to catch the disease badly or at all if they wereโค unable to beโ vaccinated themselves.”
The warning comesโ afterโค stark figures revealed the serious consequences of influenza. Last year, over โ7,000 adults and 50 children in the UK died as an inevitable result ofโฃ the flu. Dr. Foster stressed the potential to โdrastically reduce these โnumbers throughโข vaccination. “It is indeed crucial for all those eligible to be vaccinated as it will simply decrease their risk of getting severe flu which can lead to pneumonia,โฃ sepsis and even death.”
The following groups are eligible forโ a free NHS flu vaccine:
* Individuals aged 65 โคor over (including those who will turn 65 by โฃMarch 31, 2026)
* People with certain long-term โฃhealth conditions
* Pregnantโฃ women
* โข Residents of care homes
* โMain carers of older or disabledโ individuals,โ or those โreceiving a โcarer’s allowance
* โIndividuals living with someone whoโ has โa โคweakened immune system.
Dr. โฃFoster also highlighted that awareness of the free vaccine isn’t universal,especially within certainโ communities. “some โคof those groups that are missedโ out,include those either socially isolated,those from ethnic minority backgrounds who may not be able to access healthcare as easilyโ or be familiar with how the NHS systems work.”