FLU VACCINATION Dr Manpreet Bains Dr Meena Nathan

‘FLU VACCINATION Dr Manpreet Bains + Dr Meena Nathan Neo. Health Primary Care Network Tues 24 Nov 2020

CONTENT • What would you like me to cover? • Current update locally • Why is the flu vaccine important? • Flu and C 19 • Vaccine hesitancy and what can we do? • Resources and further info

www. menti. co m WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE US TO COVER? 38 40 9

NW LONDON FOCUS • According to our current numbers of those vaccinated we are particularly trying to focus our efforts in the weeks ahead on the: • Under 65’s at risk • Children aged between 2 -3 years • Also getting ready for the C 19 vaccine – gap between receiving vaccines – 7 days

WHY IS THE FLU VACCINE IMPORTANT? • The flu vaccine is a safe and effective vaccine. It's offered every year on the NHS to help protect people at risk of flu and its complications. • The best time to have the flu vaccine is in the autumn before flu starts spreading. But you can get the vaccine later. • Each year we use a new vaccine, tailored to the strains of influenza circulating each season.

FLU VACCINE + COVID 19 Getting the flu vaccination is important because: • if you're at higher risk from coronavirus, you're also more at risk of problems from flu • if you get flu and coronavirus at the same time, research shows you're more likely to be seriously ill • it'll help to reduce pressure on the NHS and social care staff who may be dealing with coronavirus • If you've had COVID-19, it's safe to have the flu vaccine. It'll be effective at helping to prevent flu. • There needs to be a 7 day gap between receiving the flu vaccine and the x 2 C 19 vaccinations so please encourage the community to receive the flu vaccine now!

IS IT SAFE TO GO TO THE PRACTICE? • In short…. yes! • Changes have been made to make sure it's safe for you to have the flu vaccine at GP surgeries and pharmacies. These changes include social distancing, hand washing and wearing protective equipment. • In addition your practice is open and seeing patients, we are just triaging patients on the phone first to try and assess how your need can best be met rather than bringing everyone into the practice. • This reduces the risk of spreading COVID-19

WHO IS ELIGIBLE? • are 65 and over (including those who'll be 65 by 31 March 2021) • have certain health conditions • are pregnant • are in a long-stay residential care • receive a carer's allowance, or are the main carer for an older or disabled person who may be at risk if you get sick • live with someone who's at high risk from coronavirus (on the NHS shielded patient list) • frontline health or social care workers

WHO IS ELIGIBLE? • If you're aged 50 to 64 and have a health condition that means you're more at risk from flu, you should get your flu vaccine as soon as possible. • Other 50 - to 64 -year-olds will be contacted about a flu vaccine later.

WHERE TO GET THE VACCINE You can have the NHS flu vaccine at: • your GP surgery • a pharmacy offering the service • your midwifery service if you're pregnant • If you have your flu vaccine at a pharmacy, you do not have to tell the GP. The pharmacist should tell them

SIDE EFFECTS • Flu vaccines are very safe. Most side effects are mild and only last for a day or so, such as: • slightly raised temperature • muscle aches • sore arm where the needle went in – this is more likely to happen with the vaccine for people aged 65 and over • Try these tips to help reduce the discomfort: • continue to move your arm regularly • take a painkiller, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen – some people, including those who are pregnant, should not take ibuprofen unless a doctor recommends it

THE FLU VACCINE CANNOT GIVE YOU FLU • None of the adult flu vaccines contains live viruses so they cannot cause flu. • If you are unwell after vaccination, you may have something else. Or you may have caught flu before your vaccination had worked.

THE CHILDREN’S VACCINE • The children's flu vaccine is safe and effective. It's offered every year as a nasal spray to children to help protect them against flu. • Flu is caused by a virus. It can be a very unpleasant illness for children. It can also lead to serious problems, such as bronchitis and pneumonia. • Children spread flu easily. Vaccinating them also protects others who are vulnerable to flu, such as babies and older people. • Contains porcine gelatine but alternative version available

WHAT ARE THE COMMUNITIES FEARS ABOUT VACCINATION? Question to the audience…. .

POSSIBLE ISSUES • Issues around trust • Is it safe? Is it effective? • Vaccine hesitancy due to lack of information or misinformation • The vaccine gives me flu • I had it last year why do I need it again?

CREATING A SPACE FOR CONVERSATION • “We need to build in more opportunities for conversation” • Importance of sharing stories (data by itself doesn’t resonate enough) • How do we get messaging into the spaces in which people share and disseminate (a wider comms question)

What could we do together to rebuild trust with our community around vaccination? MENTIMETER TIME

COULD WE EXPLORE SOME JOINT WORKING? • As Neo. Health practices we would like to work with you around vaccine hesitancy – exploring whether over winter/spring 20/21 we could explore ideas to: • Build/re-build trust with our community around the importance of vaccination • Do we need to build in more opportunities for conversation? • How do we do that? Coming out to the community (in C 19 safe way) – virtual if need be – joining existing spaces/events, creating new ones e. g. virtual town hall on vaccination • Creating a social movement around the importance of vaccination to protect our families and neighbours • If you would like to get involved please email Manpreet. bains 1@nhs. net

More information • Visit nwlondonccgs. nhs. uk for information to download & share about the flu – translations available in 13 languages • For more information on the flu vaccine nhs. uk/conditions/flu • Find out if your local pharmacy is offering the jab visit https: //myvaccinations. co. uk/ or for Boots pharmacies www. boots. com/online/pharmacy-services/ • Visit https: //www. nhs. uk/coronavirus for the latest Covid-19 information and guidance • Flu Myths! - https: //www. grenfell. nhs. uk/news-and-publications/news/flumyths 20

Contact details Carrie Hirst carrie. hirst@nhs. net Engagement & Partnership Manager West London CCG 21