More people died from influenza and pneumonia than those who died with breast cancer or prostate cancer in 2009. Last years winter flu outbreak resulted in over 600 deaths in the UK, and thousands more people died with flu as a contributory factor.

The NHS in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland is urging people at risk of flu to get protected and have the vaccine.

Four groups have been identified as being most at risk:

 Pregnant women and their baby
 People with long term conditions which can be anything from diabetes to asthma, heart disease and multiple sclerosis.
 Carers, and
 People over 65 years

Flu is different to getting a cold and the effects of seasonal flu are often underestimated. Some people are more at risk from flu and need the vaccine because they are not able to fight off flu as easily as others. It can often result in more serious complications which require hospital treatment - and the figures from last winter show that sometimes there can be devastating consequences.

This can be prevented by having the vaccine, which is being provided free at GP surgeries across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland for people with long term conditions, carers, those over 65 and pregnant women.

Flu is a highly infectious illness caused by a virus. It changes every year as does the vaccine to fight it, so it is important that those at risk protect themselves every year. Getting the free jab helps protect them and their loved ones.

There are additional ways people can protect themselves and those around them. Good hand hygiene - the ‘catch it, bin it, kill it' technique - reduces the spread of germs. This means carrying tissues, covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue, disposing of the tissue after one use, and cleaning hands as soon as possible with soap and water or an alcohol hand gel.

To view copies of the leaflets and posters that have been designed, select from the list below:

 Flu general leaflet

 Pregnancy and flu leaflet

Find your nearest GP

 To find your nearest GP and to contact them to register click here.