An estimated 30 million people in Britain – almost half of the entire population – will be offered a flu vaccine this winter to reduce their chances of infection.
The shot is free and, although far from perfect, can more than halve the risk of disease in some people.
It can also save lives: in the past two years alone, the death toll from the flu has reached more than 18,000 people – of all ages.
And the vaccine could have benefits beyond flu, with research showing it can reduce the risk of dementia by a fifth, and reduce heart attacks and strokes in people with cardiovascular disease.
Yet fewer people than ever are getting the shot.
The UKHSA is calling for more people to get the flu vaccine this winter
According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), the proportion of people over 65 in Britain fell from 79.9 percent to 77.8 percent last winter.
Things were even worse among other eligible groups. Only 44 percent of young children (two- and three-year-olds) were vaccinated, and less than a third of pregnant women – even though flu can cause stillbirth in severe cases.
Meanwhile, uptake among people in clinical risk groups – those who have asthma or heart disease, for example – is only 41 percent.
The UKHSA is calling for more people to get the flu vaccine – this follows the experience in Australia last winter when thousands were hospitalized (what is often happening is a precursor to what will happen in Britain as the same tribes tend to dominate).
There are also fears that there will be a simultaneous rise in cases of Covid (a recent surge in cases is partly due to a new variant XEC, which is expected to become a dominant strain this winter) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) – a common cause of coughs and colds – will lead to a ‘triplemic’ of diseases and huge pressure on hard-pressed NHS services.
So how good is the flu vaccine, when is the best time to get it – and how can you increase its effectiveness to ensure you get the maximum protection this winter? You might be surprised by the answers…
THE YOUNGER YOU ARE, THE BETTER IT WORKS
Getting the flu vaccine right is a difficult task because the types of flu viruses in circulation are constantly changing.
Every February, the World Health Organization predicts which species will pose the greatest threat next winter, and then it’s on to a race — lasting six months or more — to produce the hundreds of millions of doses needed worldwide.
During that time, the flu virus can mutate into new strains that are not covered by the vaccine.
As a rule, most years the best scientists can hope for is that the flu shot reduces the risk of infection by about 60 percent.
Last winter, research from the UKHSA found it was 63 to 65 percent effective at preventing infections in children (due to their stronger immune responses to the vaccine); 36 to 55 percent effective in people aged 18 to 64; and only 40 percent effective in people over 65. As we age, our immune system naturally weakens, decreasing our response to vaccines.
BOOK A MORNING JAB IF YOU CAN
Research shows that flu shots given in the morning are better at warding off infections.
The latest research shows that older people who are vaccinated earlier in the day are much less likely to end up in hospital with flu-related complications, the Journal of Infection reported last month.
The researchers followed more than 12,400 people over the age of 70 and found that those who were vaccinated before 11:30 a.m. were 12 percent less likely to require hospital treatment than those who received it later in the day.
The theory is that our immune system is primarily more alert and responsive because our body clocks then prepare our defenses for any threats from infectious agents we encounter during the day.
A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP IS ESSENTIAL
A good night’s sleep can mean the difference between a flu shot that works well and a flu shot that offers less protection.
A 2023 study at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, USA, of men over 65 years of age found that those who felt tired on the day their vaccination was due – and who had a history of poor sleep – were less likely to respond well to prick responded than men who I got a full seven or eight hours of sleep every night. 28 days after vaccination, poor sleepers had almost half the levels of antibodies found in good sleepers.
‘When you are tired and exhausted your immune system is less efficient,’ says Professor Andrew Easton, a virologist at the University of Warwick.
“Militarily, this means you have fewer troops (i.e. the antibodies) and they are less able to fight off invaders.”
CAN TAKING A PROBIOTIC INCREASE YOUR RESPONSE?
One of the easiest ways to boost your response to the flu shot could be to first take a probiotic pill, which contains ‘healthy’ bacteria that are good for your gut.
A review of data by Southampton University, published in the journal Age and Aging in May, found that older people who took probiotic pills made with a type of bacteria called lactobacilli (which protects against bacterial infections and plays an important role in maintaining a healthy immune system) had 30 percent more antibodies against flu than those who did not take them.
It is not yet clear whether simply taking a probiotic before a shot is enough to generate this effect, or whether you need to be a regular probiotic user to see the benefits.
WATCH YOUR FAVORITE COMEDY FOR THE JAB FOR YOURSELF
It may seem like unusual medical advice, but watching an episode of your favorite TV comedy show before getting a flu vaccine may work better.
Research from 2017 by Nottingham University found that anything that puts you in a good mood on the day of a shot – such as laughing or doing yoga – improves the immune system’s response.
It is thought to help reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol – which can disrupt the immune system’s response to vaccines – on the day of the jab.
…AND THEN TAKE A FANTASTIC WALK
A brisk 90-minute walk immediately after the flu shot could also make it more effective, according to research in mice by Iowa State University in 2022.
It showed that a single 90-minute session of light exercise led to higher antibody levels for at least a month after the shot. Antibodies are the defense cells released by the immune system to thwart viral attacks.
Tests showed that exercise stimulated the release of a protein, interferon alpha, which signals the immune system to produce more flu-fighting antibodies.
Professor Andrew Easton, a virologist, recommends going for a walk immediately after the jab
‘The fitter you are, the better your response to the flu vaccine,’ says Professor Easton.
‘It’s just like a well-tuned car engine: all parts work much better, in this case the immune system.’
But even if you are not fit, he advises you to take a walk – within your own possibilities.
BUT PLEASE NOTE: THE EFFECT BEGINS TO DECREASE AFTER SIX WEEKS
It takes about fourteen days for the levels of infection-fighting antibodies in your blood to reach their peak. They may stay at that level for a while but start to drop within a few weeks, reducing your protection.
Research in the journal Eurosurveillance earlier this year, involving 53,000 vaccinated adults, showed that six to nine weeks after a jab, the risk of flu increases by about 5 percent; by 18 to 21 weeks the risk is 27 percent higher.
This drop in immunity is why the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, the body that advises the UK government on vaccination policy, has recommended that this year’s flu jab program should start in early October – a month later than normal – to ensure that more people are still healthy. protected during the expected peak times of flu infections in late December and January.
‘The timing of the flu vaccine is crucial as its effectiveness decreases,’ says Professor Easton.
‘You immediately get a strong reaction and then the reaction decreases. But never completely to zero, and you still have some immunity left all winter long.’
So should you consider delaying your shot?
The data shows that for maximum protection, infection times are highest in December/January, then mid to late November power be the best time. But you still get some protection if you get it before or after that time.
WHAT ABOUT NOT JUST ONE JAB, BUT TWO?
Based on the fact that the effect of the shot diminishes over time, shouldn’t we all get a booster around December or January?
A 2022 study in the journal Vaccines from the University of Pittsburgh in the US showed that hospital admissions among older people could be reduced by as much as 19 percent if they were given two jabs – a few months apart – instead of one.
The double shot strategy was especially effective in years when the number of flu infections peaked late in the season – February or even March – the study found.
But the idea has not found success in Britain or other countries because booster vaccines often get an even weaker immune system response than the first and, experts say, are highly likely to have even lower uptake.
“It would be very difficult to get people back for another jab,” Professor Easton said.
‘The deployment of just one vaccine is very disappointing and it would take significant time and resources from the NHS to deliver a second.’