Simon rolls up his sleeve to 'Beat Flu'

An independent member of Hywel Dda University Health Board has been actively supporting the flu campaign and has spoken of his own family’s experience of the illness.
Pembrokeshire Councillor Dr Simon Hancock is urging all NHS staff to receive their free flu jab this autumn to protect vulnerable patients in hospitals across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire.
Dr Hancock also stresses the importance of being vaccinated if people are in at risk group; pregnant women, people aged 65 and over, carers and those with certain long-term health conditions. For people in these groups the flu jab is provided for free in GP surgeries and participating community pharmacies.
Dr Hancock, who is the Independent Member representative for the flu campaign, said: “I would encourage those at risk and those who work in health and social care to have the flu jab as it is an effective preventive measure which could avoid you and others from becoming seriously ill.
“I have an interest in influenza from the historical and present day perspective. Some of my recent research has been into the great influenza pandemic of 1918-19 which affected western Europe. One of the fatalities, according to family tradition, was my great grandmother who died in September 1919.”
This year the vaccine programme is being extended so children between the ages of two and six will be eligible. The vaccine is administered as a nasal spray and those aged two and three will receive it at their GP practice while those aged four, five and six (reception, year 1 and 2) will receive the spray at school.
Find out more by visiting www.beatflu.org or finding Beat Flu on Twitter and Facebook.

Photo above: Dr Simon Hancock gets protected against flu from Buddug Nelson, Immunisations and Vaccinations Coordinator for the UHB.