High number of healthcare staff vaccinated against flu

Over 4,320 (84%) of frontline healthcare staff at East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust have already had their flu jab this winter, helping to protect their patients and themselves from flu.

This record number of staff vaccinated across the Trust has far exceeded the 76% of staff vaccinated by the end of the flu vaccination campaign last year. This high number follows a concerted campaign this year to encourage staff to have their vaccination to protect both themselves and their patients, as well as making it easier for staff to have their vaccine with more peer vaccinators and flu nurses in the workplace delivering the flu vaccine

Liz Lipsham Specialist Occupational Health & Wellbeing Nurse said: “Over the last couple of years we have seen an increasing uptake from staff having the flu vaccine. This year we have exceeded last year’s figure and already have over 84% of frontline healthcare staff vaccinated. However, we are still actively encouraging more staff to get their flu jab.”

“We know how imperative it is for healthcare workers to have their flu jab due to the nature of their work.  More than two thirds of people with flu may not have any symptoms but could still pass it on to others.”

“This is why it is so important for us to vaccinate as many members of staff as possible. We need to protect staff, patients and service users, especially those most at risk of serious complications, by reducing the spread of the virus in our hospitals and communities.”

“I would like to commend the whole team as the increase in the number of staff getting vaccinated was very impressive. In particular our flu nurses and peer vaccinators in the clinical areas need to be thanked as they took on the role of vaccinating their colleagues in addition to their day job which is incredibly challenging during the winter months”.

People over 65 years of age, those aged 6 months to under 65 years in clinical risk groups, pregnant women, those living in a residential or nursing home or the main carer of an older or disabled person are encouraged to get a flu jab to protect themselves this winter There is more information about flu and the flu vaccine at www.nhs.uk or you can speak to your GP.

Flu facts and figures

• The vaccine cannot give you flu – it does not contain live viruses
• Up to 70 per cent of infected people have no symptoms
• Up to a third of flu deaths in England are in otherwise healthy people