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Page updated: 20 Apr 2010

Swine flu information page

Advice for people with flu-like symptoms

If you feel unwell with headache, fever, aches and other flu-like symptoms, the advice is to stay at home, rest, drink plenty of fluids and take over-the-counter flu remedies such as paracetamol to help relieve the symptoms. Most people will feel better within a few days without going to their GP.

If you continue to feel unwell, visit www.nhs.uk, call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47, or contact your GP. 

People should contact their GP if:

  •       they have a sick child under one year old
  •       they are pregnant
  •       they have a serious underlying illness
  •       their condition suddenly gets much worse
  •       their condition is still getting worse after 7 days (5 for a child).

Swine flu vaccinations

NHS Trafford has been working with GP practices in Trafford to ensure that people who are considered to be 'at-risk' from swine flu can be offered the swine flu vaccine.

Who is eligible for a swine flu vaccination?

  • Adults and children over six months of age who have a long-term health condition, including: chronic lung disease, chronic heart disease, chronic kidney disease, chronic liver disease, chronic neurological diseases, diabetes mellitus, immunosuppression caused by a disease or treatment for a disease.
  • Women at any stage of pregnancy.
  • People who live in the same house as someone whose immune system is compromised by disease or treatment.

People who are not registered with a GP but who are in one of the groups above and therefore eligible for a swine flu vaccine, should get in touch with a GP practice local to them and ask to be considered as either a 'temporary’ resident or as an ‘emergency patient’, depending on individual circumstances.

The vaccination programme for people in these 'at-risk' groups will continue throughout the spring and summer of 2010.

Please note: the vaccination programme for healthy children aged between six months and under five years has now been completed. 

 

Frequently asked questions

Can the swine flu jab give me swine flu?

No. The swine flu jab contains an inactivated version of the virus that tricks your body into thinking it has caught H1N1. This prompts it to produce antibodies to fight the virus, which in turn means that should you catch the virus for real, the antibodies needed to fight it are already in place.

The seasonal flu vaccine also works in this way.

What can I do to protect myself and others against flu?

There are a number of steps you can take to reduce the risk of getting flu and help stop the spread of the virus. To reduce the risk of catching or spreading the virus you should:

  • Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing and use a tissue when possible.
  • Dispose of dirty tissues promptly and carefully.
  • Maintain good basic hygiene, for example washing hands frequently with soap and water to reduce the spread of the virus from your hands to face or to other people.
  • Clean hard surfaces (for example, door handles) frequently using a normal cleaning product.
  • Make sure your children follow this advice.  

There's a simple way to remember this: CATCH IT, BIN IT, KILL IT.

Remember that seasonal flu will also still be around. If you would normally get a flu jab from your GP please make sure you get one this year, too.