Back our flu busting battle says Trust

A hospital trust which is encouraging its staff to have a flu jab is calling on the public to do the same.

Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) has launched a Ghostbusters-inspired campaign which aims to encourage even more of its clinical staff to get protected this year.

The Flubusters2 logo is a green ghost-like germ foiled by a no entry sign and it will feature on electronic reminders and posters throughout the October and November campaign period.

Deputy Chief Nurse Sharon McNally said the Trust had an unprecedented number of flu cases last year and reports from parts of the world experiencing winter show that cases are up.

Over 65s, those with long-term health conditions such as severe asthma or heart disease, carers, pregnant women, children aged two to eight and others at-risk should have their free flu vaccine at their GP surgery or school.

Contrary to popular myths the vaccine, which can be purchased at some pharmacies, cannot give you flu and it is a completely inactivated vaccine and doesn’t contain a live virus. 

A few people may experience light cold symptoms for up to 48 hours, which is the body’s way of telling you it’s making antibodies. The most common side effect reported is some slight swelling in the area around the injection site.

Sharon added: “Our message to the public is that we are treating flu seriously and we want them to do the same.

“The risk of having a serious anaphylactic reaction from the flu jab is less than one in a million and is much, much lower than the risk of getting seriously ill from having the flu itself. Our message is ‘please spread the word, not the flu!”.

More information about the flu vaccine is available from NHS Choices or your GP.