People over 65 and those with long term health conditions

Flu is more likely to be serious if you have a long-term health condition, are pregnant, or are 65 or older. If any of these apply to you, you are also more at risk of becoming severely ill from COVID-19. Flu can also be serious for young children.

Every year in Wales, three-quarters of a million people have a flu vaccine. That’s 1 in every 4 people.

If any of the following apply to you, you are more likely to get complications from flu and are advised to have a flu vaccine

• You are pregnant
• You are aged 65 or over
• You live in a residential or nursing home        You have a heart problem
• You have a chest complaint or breathing difficulties, including asthma that needs regular steroid inhalers or tablets
• You have kidney disease
• You have lowered immunity due to disease or treatment (such as steroid or cancer treatment) or  are in close contact with or live in the same house as someone with a lowered immunity
• You have liver disease        You have diabetes
• You have had a stroke (or mini stroke)
• You have a neurological condition, for example multiple sclerosis (MS), cerebral palsy or post-polio syndrome
• You have a learning disability
• You have a problem with your spleen, for example sickle cell disease, or have had your spleen removed
• You are an adult with a higher body weight (Body Mass Index (BMI of 40 or more)

If you are in one of those groups, you should have a flu vaccine even if you feel healthy.

Children

All children aged two to ten years old (age on 31 August 2020) will be offered a nasal spray flu vaccine this autumn to help protect them from flu.

Flu can be very unpleasant for children and some can develop serious complications such as pneumonia and bronchitis. Every year children in Wales need treatment in Intensive Care Units because of flu.

Children have the highest rate of infection, so by preventing children from cathing the flu we can protect other vulnerable people in the community.