Your top tips
Facilitators for uptake
Those aged 65 years and older;
- Not wanting to transmit flu to friends and family
- Knowledge about the severity of influenza
- Having a chronic condition increasing risk of flu
- Understanding the benefits of vaccination
- Positive attitude to prevention
6 months – 64 years with specific clinical conditions
- Consideration of where vaccination takes place can increase uptake, for example, innovative venues such as pharmacies, care homes, schools and other community venues
- Receiving personal reminders, for example, face to face as well as written or alerts when patients collect prescriptions can increase uptake
Pregnant Women
- Is important to have informed, motivated midwifery team members promoting the importance of vaccination to pregnant women
- Maternity staff providing the flu vaccination as part of routine care, offered at the time of booking where possible
- Ensuring pregnant women receive appropriate and consistent information and advice
- Key communications – positive messages that the influenza vaccination provides protection for mother and baby and will not harm the mother or the unborn child preferred over negative messages that influenza can cause serious complications in pregnancy and can endanger the unborn child
- Vital for midwives to take a central roles