People with a heart or lung condition are being encouraged to get their free flu jab, to help them stay well over New Year period.

People with these conditions are more susceptible to winter illness like coughs and colds, which can quickly turn into more serious health conditions.  The vaccine offers the best protection.

Flu causes 8,000 deaths on average a year in England.  Around 6,000 of these are people with heart and lung disease. There are nearly 200,000 hospital visits each year due to heart attacks in the UK, that’s one every three minutes.

Anyone with a heart condition is approximately 11 times more likely to die if they catch flu than individuals who have no other underlying health conditions.

Glen Wilson, a consultant in public health and the screening and immunisation lead for NHS England Cumbria and North East, said: “Flu is serious and very different to the common cold. People in a clinical risk group, such as those with a heart or lung condition, are four to five times more likely to be admitted to hospital with the flu.

“Research has shown that flu vaccines have reduced the risk of flu-associated hospitalisations among adults by about 40%. I encourage anyone who is eligible to take up the offer of their free vaccine. It is there to protect you from a potentially very serious illness.

“The adult flu vaccine doesn’t contain the live virus, so it’s impossible to get the flu from it, and it takes just up to two weeks for you to be protected, allowing you to enjoy the New Year, flu free.”

Every day, the lives of three families are devastated by the death of a loved one to an asthma attack, and tragically two thirds of these deaths are preventable.

Someone having an asthma attack is hospitalised every eight minutes in the UK. 81% of people with asthma say their symptoms get worse when they have a cold or flu, putting them at risk of a potentially life threatening asthma attack.

In the UK there is an estimated 1.2 million people living with diagnosed COPD, most of these people over the age of 40, with the chances of developing the condition increasing as people got older. COPD kills 30,000 people, just 5,000 less than the UK’s biggest cancer killer, lung cancer.

Mr Wilson added: “NHS.uk is an excellent website for health advice and information about where to go to get the right treatment. If you need medical help fast, but it’s not life-threatening or an emergency, call NHS 111 at any time for advice. In some cases, they may be able to book a GP appointment for you.”

People who are over the age of 65 and pregnant women are also at higher risk from flu and can become seriously ill. Flu is far more dangerous in old age. The flu vaccine for those aged over 65 contains extra ingredients designed to help aged immune systems develop a stronger defence against flu.

It’s safe to have the flu vaccine at any stage of pregnancy from conception onwards. There’s strong evidence to suggest pregnant women have an increased risk of developing complications if they get flu, not only will it help protect the mother, but also the baby.

It’s not too late to book an appointment to get the vaccine at your GP or local pharmacy. Many GPs have extended opening hours and pharmacists across the region are open for business over the bank holiday

For information on pharmacists open near you, please visit: https://www.england.nhs.uk/north/our-work/pharmacy-information/cumbria-north-east/