Damian Hinds MP: Getting your flu jab could save a life

Damian Hinds MP: Getting Your Flu Jab Could Save a Life

As colder months approach, GP surgeries and pharmacies display posters encouraging people to get their flu jab. Each year, the NHS runs a major campaign to help protect people against seasonal flu and, more recently, Covid-19. For many, these illnesses can lead to severe complications and hospital stays, placing extra strain on NHS services, which are already busy during winter.

Vaccination Rates in Hampshire

In Hampshire, flu vaccination rates among older adults exceed the national average, with more than 65% of people over 65 having the jab. However, the uptake among younger children is still below expectations. Just under 60% of Hampshire children aged two to three have been vaccinated, which falls short of the World Health Organization’s 75% target.

Impact on Young Children

Children under five have some of the highest hospital admission rates related to flu. To help increase vaccination rates, from early October parents can get their two- and three-year-olds vaccinated at community pharmacies.

The Importance of Vaccination

Vaccination remains one of modern medicine’s greatest public health achievements, saving lives daily and preventing the spread of infectious diseases worldwide. The UK has long been at the forefront of vaccination efforts.

"Measles, however, is a stark reminder that progress can be undone. Once considered eliminated in England, with no reported cases in 2018, the disease has since returned. By 2021, England lost its ‘measles elimination status’, with outbreaks spreading across the country."

Such setbacks emphasize the need to maintain vigilance and high vaccination coverage to protect public health.

Author’s Summary

Annual vaccination, especially against flu, remains crucial to protect vulnerable groups and prevent healthcare systems from becoming overwhelmed, as declining coverage risks reversing hard-won disease control.

Farnham Herald — 2025-11-09