Airedale Hospital staff urged to get flu jab (From Craven Herald)

Airedale Hospital staff urged to get flu jab

11:00am Sunday 14th October 2012 in News

The medical director at Airedale Hospital wants all frontline staff to protect their patients by having the flu jab as soon as possible.

Andrew Catto is pictured receiving his own jab at the start of the annual campaign by the hospital’s employee health and well-being team.

Nurses from the team began to visit wards and departments to vaccinate staff last week.

Mr Catto said: “It is vital that as many frontline workers as possible have the flu vaccine before the virus is circulating, especially as it takes 10 to 14 days to reach protective levels.

“It takes just a few minutes to have the jab and this will not only provide protection for themselves, but also stops them passing the bug on to vulnerable patients for whom flu could be life-threatening, their colleagues, friends and family.”

The vaccine is offered free to people in “at risk” categories, which include over 65s, pregnant women, carers, and adults and children with long-term medical conditions such as diabetes or chronic kidney disease; chronic heart, chest and liver disease; multiple sclerosis; stroke or cancer.

More information for the public is available from their GP or nhs.uk/conditions/flu-jab.