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Protecting Your Loved One from Flu

By 14 October 2020Borough Care News

With the Covid-19 pandemic far from over, it has become more vital than ever to get vaccinated against flu. Public Health England have found that if a vulnerable person were to catch Covid-19 at the same time as flu, they are twice as likely to be at risk of severe illness, or even death.

Flu is an acute viral infection of the respiratory tract, usually characterised by a fever, chills, headache, aching muscles, joint pain and fatigue. It is a highly infectious virus different to the common cold, and spreads rapidly in closed communities, such as care homes, and even people with mild or no symptoms can infect others.

This infection kills an average of 11,000 people every year in England, and it can be particularly serious in older adults, very young children, and people with underlying health conditions.

We work closely with our dispensing pharmacy partner, Scorah, to provide flu jabs for everyone living and working at Borough Care. Despite shortages of the seasonal flu jab this year, by 20 October, we will have vaccinated all residents and staff.

While your immune system may be able to fight off the infection, being a carrier could have serious consequences to your more vulnerable loved ones. So, if you can have the jab, we would recommend you do so.

Our socially distanced garden visits may be on pause at the moment, but we would love nothing more than to reinstate them as soon as it is safe to do so. When that happens, it is more important than ever that family members do everything they can to keep our homes free from any infections, including flu.

Keep it Clean

As with Covid-19, the main way to reduce the risk and spread of flu is through good hygiene standards. These include:

  • Use tissues to trap germs when you cough or sneeze
  • Put any used tissues in the bin immediately
  • You can kill the virus by washing your hands with soap and warm water.
  • An alcohol-based rub is a great way to kill germs and ensure your hands are squeaky clean.
  • If you are unwell, look after yourself, drink plenty of fluids and stay at home so you don’t spread flu to others.

If you would like more information about the flu jab, visit the NHS website.