Young people with lung disease are being urged to get the flu jab this winter as part of the Department of Health’s annual campaign, which is being supported by the British Lung Foundation.
Last year nearly six in ten of those under 65 who were at risk did not get vaccinated, leaving two million people vulnerable to the side effects of the virus, which can lead to bronchitis, pneumonia, hospitalization and even death.
The campaign calls for anyone with a serious respiratory condition to get the flu jab as well as people who are over 65.
Dame Helena Shovelton, Chief Executive of the British Lung Foundation, says: “People with lung disease are among those most at risk of developing more serious problems if they catch flu, which is why people with respiratory conditions, no matter what their age, should ask their GP for the jab.”
Chief Medical Officer Professor Liam Donaldson says: “It is a common misperception that it's only older people who suffer the most when they get flu. Many children and adults under the age of 65 are putting themselves at just as much risk to the effects of the virus.”
Click here for more information about the Department of Health's campaign.
