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FEARS ARE BEING expressed that the more vulnerable in Moray’s communities could be at risk unless they take up the option of a free Flu Jab.
Senior citizens, pregnant women or people who suffer from serious ongoing conditions such as diabetes and heart disease are at particular risk.
Now Health chiefs are pointing out that numbers of those who have received the vaccination this year has fallen – by over 2.5% in vulnerable over-65s. In 2016, 80,000 people failed to have the vaccination.
That has prompted NHS Grampian to team up with all 132 community pharmacies throughout the region – with pharmacists inserting ‘flu awareness’ leaflets into all repeat prescription bags.
The risk of infection spreading over the Christmas period has been highlighted by medical health consultant Dr Emmanuel Okpo, who said: “People gather and it is very easy to pass it around when you are in close contact with people at parties and nights out.
“When you catch Flu it can be very severe in certain types of people – and can lead to complications like pneumonia, occasionally people die so that is why we are urging those at high risk to get the flu jab, it is the only way to ensure that you do not get it.”
Dr Okpo added that so far this year in Grampian there have been no severe cases – but he is expecting that there will be as the season moves on.