3 hours agoShareSaveMichelle RobertsDigital health editorShareSaveGetty ImagesFlu has come early this winter, and experts predict it could be a particularly nasty season because of a new mutated version of the virus which is circulating. The NHS has already sent out a “flu jab SOS” encouraging vulnerable people to get their free vaccination. But should you pay for a jab even if you are generally fit and healthy?Why is flu so bad this winter?The version circulating this winter is H3N2 “subclade K”, a type of seasonal influenza A virus. Some are calling it “super flu”.People have not encountered much of it in recent years, which means there is less built up immunity against it in the community. NHS England says there were enough flu patients to fill more than three whole hospital trusts in the first week of December. There were an average of 2,660 patients a day in hospital with flu – a rise of 55% on the previous week.NHS chiefs say the total has kept increasing since 7 December, with no peak in sight.Projections have suggested there could be between 5,000 and 8,000 hospital cases by 14 December. The highest figure previously recorded for a seven-day period is 5,400.Flu is also spreading in Scotland, with the number of confirmed cases up by a quarter in the last week.A number of hospitals have said that the increasing numbers of people seeking treatment for the flu and other winter bugs – when coupled with wider pressures – are hitting them hard. Some schools have had to bring back Covid-like measures – such as handwashing and even closures – to prevent the spread of flu, as rates of reported illnesses in schools and other educational settings rise. Who needs a flu jab?The NHS offers a free flu vaccine to people who need it most, including: anyone aged 65 or overthose have certain long-term health conditionspregnant womencare home residentscarers for older or disabled people, or those who receive a carer’s allowancepeople who live with someone who has a weakened immune systemFrontline health and social care workers can also get a flu vaccine through their employer. A nasal spray version of the flu vaccine is also offered to children aged 2 to 3 years as well as school-aged children (reception to year 11). Children can catch and spread flu easily. Vaccinating them also helps protect others who are at higher risk of getting seriously ill from flu.Everyone else has to buy one.Should I buy a flu jab?Even if you are healthy, you might want to buy a flu vaccine this winter. High street chemists sell the vaccine for around £20.It’s best to get vaccinated sooner to protect yourself during winter.The vaccine should provide protection throughout the current flu season.Almost everybody can have the vaccine, but you should not be vaccinated if you have ever had a serious allergy to the vaccine, or any of its ingredients. You should speak to the pharmacist if you are unsure. Is there a shortage of flu vaccine?The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) says there is no national shortage of the vaccine for those who need it the most – people who can get it for free from the NHS. Almost 17 million vaccines have been delivered this autumn – 350,000 more compared to this time last year.However, if you are buying a flu jab privately, you might need to shop around to find a pharmacy with enough stock. How effective is the flu jab and how long does it take for the vaccine to work?The vaccine works against the flu that is circulating this year, and usually takes up to 14 days to take effect.During this period, you’re still vulnerable to catching the virus. Some people mistakenly think the vaccine has given them flu, but the vaccine does not cause flu – instead, it gives your body the instructions it needs to fight off an infection should you catch it. There’s still a chance you might get flu after getting vaccinated, but it’s likely to be milder and not last as long.Protection decreases over time which is why a vaccine is offered every year. The vaccine is frequently updated to best match the strain or version of flu that experts expect will be circulating. Is it a cold, ‘super flu’ or Covid? What are the symptoms?There are lots of coughs and colds doing the rounds. So how do you know if you have flu rather than something else? Your symptoms can give a clue. Coldssymptoms appear graduallymostly affect nose and throatearly sign – pressure in your earschestier, mucus coughFlucomes on suddenlyfeel wiped outfever, muscle aches, exhaustionneed bed restdry coughCovidtypical flu symptomsloss of taste or smelldiarrhoea or tummy upsetWhat else can I do to protect myself?If you’re meeting people indoors, open a window for fresh air.Practise good hygiene:cough into your bent elbow, or use a tissue and dispose of it afterwards in the nearest binwash your hands frequently with warm water and soapclean your surroundings often, especially …
