Lisa Newton

As someone who has been diagnosed as having type 1 diabetes quite recently, Lisa Newton is well aware of the risks of becoming ill with flu when you are in an at-risk group.

Lisa is a contract support officer in the General Medical Advice and Support team in Mansfield, and in April 2019 she became really ill at work. Taken to hospital, she was diagnosed as having type 1 diabetes and also sepsis. In hospital for six days, she had time to become familiar with how to look after herself to make sure she got none of the complications that can be associated with diabetes.

“It is really important to me to have the flu vaccination. I know I could become seriously ill if I caught flu and so want to do everything I can to protect myself.

“What’s more, my son has diabetes too. And I am carer to my housebound mum. They are really vulnerable so I want to make sure I protect them by not passing flu to them and keeping healthy so I can carry on looking after them too.

“I have never been poorly after a flu vaccination- in fact it’s just a small scratch and it’s over and done with inside 10 minutes,” added Lisa.

“This year I have already had my flu vaccination. My GP ran a flu clinic that was really well organised and I was in and out in minutes!”

People with diabetes are more at risk of getting the flu and having diabetes will make it worse. This is why all people with diabetes, even if they are children, are advised to have the flu vaccination. The nasal spray flu vaccination is available to all children, age 2 to 17 with diabetes on the NHS. For adults, the flu jab is available to anyone with diabetes, including those who are pregnant, at any age. For further information visit https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/flu-influenza-vaccine/