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General Medical Clinics Ltd. Registered Office 242 Marylebone Road, London NW1 6JL. Tel 020 7427 0605

You’ll often hear people saying they had a ‘touch of the flu for couple of days’ or ringing in to say they’re taking a day off because they have ‘the flu’. The reality is that they’ve got a common cold – not the flu.

Influenza is a far more serious condition which is caused by a completely different virus. The most common symptoms are chills and fever (periods of ‘hot and cold’) a sore throat, aching and painful muscles, coughing, general weakness, fatigue and discomfort often accompanied by headaches which are sometimes severe. Most people recover completely in two weeks, but for the young, the elderly, the chronically ill and those with weakened immune systems, the disease can lead to life-threatening complications.

Prevention is always better than cure, and modern flu vaccines are extremely effective in preventing influenza. However the virus has a high mutation rate and the possibility of a new strain slipping past the preventative net is always a real threat.  The virus is spread through the air (especially as a result of sneezing) and by infection from hand to mouth, hand to eye or hand to nose. Personal hygiene is always important, but during flu season this is heightened.

You can easily pick it up from a door handle, a light switch or even a bank note used by an infected person some hours or even days earlier. If you are living or working in Central London, you are inevitably exposed to a higher concentration of people, and so the risk of infection is heightened yet further. This is why flu vaccination makes a great deal of sense.

WHEN SHOULD I GET MY VACCINATION?

The optimum time to have your vaccination is before the flu season starts because if you leave it too late, it is entirely possible that you could already be infected when you are vaccinated! Late September and October is the best period – before the flu season really gets going and before any outbreak gets started.

Medicentre also provides company flu vaccination programmes either at your premises or at any of our central London centres.

For further information or advice on Influenza Protection, please do not hesitate to call us on 0207 427 0605 or email flu@genmed.org.uk.

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