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Flu is very infectious and easily spread by germs from coughs and sneezes. These germs can live on hands and surfaces for 24 hours.

To reduce the risk of spreading flu:

  • wash your hands often with warm water and soap
  • use tissues to trap germs when you cough or sneeze
  • bin used tissues as quickly as possible.

The best way to prevent getting flu is to have the flu jab. It’s a safe and effective vaccine and is offered every year on the NHS to help protect people at risk of flu and its complications. If you are eligible, please have your vaccine as soon as possible.

The flu vaccine is given to those:

  • aged 2 and 3 years on 31 August 2023
  • eligible school aged children (Reception to Year 11)
  • those aged 6 months to under 65 years in clinical risk groups
  • pregnant women
  • all those aged 65 years and over
  • those in long-stay residential care homes
  • carers, those in receipt of carer’s allowance or main carer of an older or disabled person
  • household contacts of immunocompromised individuals
  • frontline health and social care staff.

Children may be offered a safe and effective nasal spray flu vaccine. 

The NHS provides full details of flu vaccines.

You can often treat flu without seeing your GP and you should begin to feel better in about a week. GPs don’t recommend antibiotics for flu because they will not relieve symptoms or speed up your recovery.

If you do catch flu, a pharmacist can give treatment advice and recommend flu remedies. Call a pharmacy or contact them online before going in person. You can get medicines delivered or ask someone to collect them. 

Medical warning:

Be careful not to use flu remedies if you're taking paracetamol and ibuprofen tablets as it's easy to take more than the recommended dose. If you catch flu and belong to a vulnerable group, or are worried, seek professional medical advice from a pharmacist, call NHS 111 or see your GP.

The NHS provides more information about flu including its symptoms and how to treat flu yourself or others with flu.

Ask yourself: could it be coronavirus (COVID-19)?

If you have a high temperature, a new, continuous cough or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste, it could be COVID-19. Get NHS advice about symptoms of COVID-19 and what to do.