- At its mildest, flu is unpleasant. However, for vulnerable patients it can be life-threatening, causing pneumonia and even sepsis.
- Symptoms include a sudden onset of fever, an aching body, and feeling tired and exhausted. Often people who have the flu will not even be able to get out of bed. Other symptoms can be a sore throat, cough, headache, difficulty sleeping, loss of appetite, diarrhoea and/or nausea.
- Last year, over 1,000 patients were admitted to our hospitals with the flu.
- If you catch flu, stay at home, drink plenty of fluids, rest, sleep, keep warm and take paracetamol or ibuprofen to lower your temperature and manage aches and pains – always read the label of any medication you take.
- The flu vaccine offers up to 90% protection against catching the flu.
- Vaccination is the best defence we have, but influenza is an ever-changing virus, so we need to have the vaccine each year to have the best chance of staying protected.
Flu vaccine ingredients
Under 65s
This year, people under 65 years of age will receive the Cell-based Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine. This complies with the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation (Northern Hemisphere) and EU recommendation for the 2024/2025 influenza season. It is suitable for people with an egg allergy.
Cell-based Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine (0.5ml pre-filled syringe)
The vaccine is cell cultured and therefore it is suitable for people with an egg allergy/intolerance. The vaccine contains:
| (A/Georgia/12/2022 CVR-167) (A/Georgia/12/2022 CVR-167) | 15 micrograms HA |
|---|---|
| HAA/Massachusetts/18/2022 (H3N2)-like strain (A/Sydney/1304/2022, wild type) | 15 micrograms HA |
| HAB/Austria/1359417/2021-like strain (B/Singapore/WUH4618/2021, wild type) | 15 micrograms HA |
| HAB/Phuket/3073/2013-like strain (B/Singapore/INFTT-16-0610/2016, wild type) | 15 micrograms HA |
Other ingredients include. Sodium chloride, Potassium chloride, Potassium dihydrogen phosphate, Disodium phosphate dihydrate, Magnesium chloride hexahydrate, and water for injections.
Detailed product information for the vaccine is available on the Electronic Medicines Compendium (eMC).
Over 65s
For people over 65 years of age, the Trust is using Adjuvanted Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine (Surface Antigen, Inactivated). This complies with the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation (Northern Hemisphere) and EU recommendation for the 2024/2025 influenza season. It is not suitable for people with an egg allergy.
Adjuvanted Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine (0.5ml pre-filled syringe)
This vaccine is not suitable for those with an egg allergy/intolerance. The vaccine contains:
| A/Victoria/4897/2022 (H1N1) pdm09-like strain | 15 micrograms HA |
|---|---|
| A/Thailand/8/2022 (H3N2)-like strain | 15 micrograms HA |
| B/Austria/1359417/2021-like strain | 15 micrograms HA |
| B/Phuket/3073/2013 -like strain | 15 micrograms HA |
Other ingredients include. Sodium chloride, Potassium chloride, Potassium dihydrogen phosphate, Disodium phosphate dihydrate, Magnesium chloride hexahydrate, Calcium chloride dihydrate and water for injections.
Detailed product information for the vaccine is available on the Electronic Medicines Compendium (eMC).