Flu vaccine for older people

The flu vaccine is the safest way to protect yourself from flu.

If you are 60 or older, you can get the flu vaccine for free each year.

Where to get the free flu vaccine

You can get the flu vaccine from your GP or pharmacist.

You can get the flu vaccine where you live if you:

• live in a nursing home
• are housebound

Why older people should get the flu vaccine

Flu can be dangerous for people of all ages.

But people age 60 and older who get flu are at higher risk of:

• severe illness
• going to hospital
• dying from flu

Most people who die of flu are age 60 or older.

Immunity

You should get the flu vaccine every year. This is because the antibodies that protect you fade over time. Flu strains also change each year.

Who should not get the flu vaccine

You should not get the flu vaccine if you:

• had a severe allergic reaction to a previous flu vaccine or any part of the vaccine
• have a temperature 38 degrees Celsius or higher - wait until you are well before getting the vaccine
• have severe neutropoenia (low levels of a type of white blood cell)

Check with your GP

If you have primary autoimmune neutropenia, you should be able to get the flu vaccine. Talk to your GP if you are not sure.

Talk to your GP or specialist if you are taking medicines called combination checkpoint inhibitors. For example, ipilimumab and nivolumab.

Flu vaccine and egg allergy

If you have an egg allergy, talk to your vaccinator before getting the vaccine. Most people with an egg allergy can get the flu vaccine.

Side effects

After the vaccine, you may have some mild side effects.

These may include:

• soreness, redness or swelling where you got the injection
• headache
• fever (high temperature - 38 degrees Celsius or above)
• aches
• mild sweating and shivering
• feeling tired

If you have any of these side effects, rest and take paracetamol.

Serious side effects

Serious side effects such as a severe allergic reaction are rare.

In very rare cases Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) has been reported. GBS is a condition that affects the nerves in the body. It causes nerve inflammation and can cause pain, numbness, muscle weakness and difficulty walking. But you are far more likely to get Guillain-Barré syndrome from having the flu than from the flu vaccine.

Other vaccines

You should also get the pneumococcal vaccine if you have not had it before. It protects you from pneumonia. You can get this at the same time as your flu vaccine.

You can also get the flu vaccine at the same time as your COVID-19 booster dose.