What you need to know about flu

Public Health England estimates that 14,500 people died from the flu over winter 2022 to 2023. The flu vaccine is one of the best protections - as well as reducing the risk of catching flu, it cuts the chance of complications if you get it. To find out if you're eligible, head to the two-minute Patient Access flu eligibility checker.

But how can you avoid catching it in the first place?

Prevention or cure?

Flu is caused by a virus - that means antibiotics are completely useless. Anti-virus tablets do exist, but they're not a cure - they may speed recovery by a couple of days. So apart from the flu vaccine, the other best way of avoiding flu is to avoid the virus in the first place.

The virus is spread by droplets you breathe in and direct contact - picking the germ up on your hands and getting it into your system when you touch your nose, mouth or eyes.

Patient picks for Viral infections

Infections

Why measles is on the rise

Measles, a highly contagious virus which can cause serious complications in anyone who contracts it, is on the rise across England. We look at how to recognise symptoms and why it is so important to be vaccinated against the disease.

by Lawrence Higgins

Infections

Shingles

Shingles is a painful rash caused by an infection of a nerve underneath the skin with the varicella-zoster virus.

by Dr Surangi Mendis

Flu prevention tips

Flu vaccination myths

As for the flu vaccine, I've heard all the usual myths - and here are some not to believe.

"I don't need the flu jab - I had it last year."

The flu virus is sneaky - it mutates every year. Think of human evolution, which happens over thousands of generations. The flu virus can replicate every few hours - so a year is up to a thousand generations to them. Each year's main strains are different to last year's, so last year's vaccine won't protect you fully.

"The flu jab gave me flu last time."

Physically impossible - the vaccine doesn't contain any live virus, so it can't multiply inside your body.

"I had flu last year and it was fine - it was just a nasty cough for a few days."

There really is no such thing as a 'touch of flu', as my patients try to tell me. There are hundreds of cold viruses out there, causing variations on the theme of runny nose, tickly cough, sore throat. But flu is different - exhaustion, aches in muscles you never knew you had, high fever, body racked by bouts of harsh coughing. And that's before we get on to the complications. If you think you had a 'mild case of flu', you actually just had a cold.

"I'm healthy so I don't need it."

Not necessarily. As you get older, your immune system becomes less efficient even if you feel well. The same applies if you have long-term health conditions like diabetes, lung/liver/kidney problems, or Parkinson’s disease.

Likewise, your body's immune system behaves differently during pregnancy. This makes it easier for the virus to invade deep into your body, causing pneumonia and other potentially fatal complications.