People in Crawley at risk from serious health complications urged to claim free flu jab

The health service in Sussex has prepared for its largest ever flu protection drive to help keep local people well and ease pressure on urgent care services over the winter.

Flu vaccines are now available for free for those in at risk groups.

Last year, at least nine people ended up in hospital across Crawley due to flu. Dctors believe this could have been avoided had those eligible taken up the opportunity to get their free jab, helping ease pressures on local health services by leading to fewer avoidable GP appointments, less people needing hospital care and a drop in the number deaths from flu.

For those who do find they have symptoms of the flu, the NHS advises rest and sleep, to keep warm, take paracetamol or ibuprofen and to drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.

Laura Hill, clinical chairperson of Crawley Clinical Commissiong Group, said: “Flu is potentially a very serious illness, people might think that flu is just a cough or cold, but it can have devastating effects including causing death.

“The flu vaccine is the single best way to protect yourself, and your loved ones from, flu. NHS services across in Sussex have been working hard together to prepare for the winter season, including staff getting their flu jab, so now we’re urging that you, your children or relatives take up the free and convenient flu vaccine as soon as you can.”