We need your help to talk about the flu...
“Just” the flu?
Each year the flu kills on average 11,000 people and hospitalises thousands more. There’s no “just” about it.
The flu virus spreads from person to person. Even amongst those not showing symptoms.
The flu vaccine is the best protection for you and those around you and it’s available for free to those most at risk.
Yet in north east London last year, only half of those eligible for the flu vaccine chose to get it. This was much lower when it came to pregnant women, children aged 2 and 3 years old, carers, and those living with long-term health conditions.
This year, with COVID-19 in circulation, it’s more important than ever that those eligible are vaccinated to protect them from flu.
We need your help today to start a conversation about the flu with those most at risk.
Who do we need to talk to?
We want to reach out to those eligible to receive the free flu vaccine.
We are looking for support from community groups, organisations, and networks that can help up start a conversation with north east London residents who are:
- 65 and over
- Living with a long term health condition
- Pregnant
- Parents of young children aged 2 and 3
- Main carers for an older or disabled person who may be at risk if you get sick
How can you help?
We have put together a toolkit of resources to make starting conversations with your group, organisation, or network easier.
Whether you speak to your followers on social media, private messaging platforms like WhatsApp or Telegram, or through an email newsletter, website or blog – we have ‘one stop shop’ of guides, images and information that will best suit how you want to talk about the flu.
To join the flu vaccination conversation and help the NHS to talk to those most at risk:
- Download the resources (see right hand panel) and look through the resources that might be most appropriate for your followers.
- Post on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, websites or blogs – wherever your audience is – to help spread awareness of the importance of the flu vaccine.
Resources
- “The flu kills thousands every year”
- “The flu hospitalises tens of thousands every year”
- “The flu can be a dangerous virus”
- “The flu can be dangerous if you’re a main carer”
- “The flu spreads quickly among kids”
- “The flu can be dangerous if you’re pregnant”
- “The flu is dangerous if you have a health condition”
- “The flu is dangerous if you have a heart condition”
- “The flu is dangerous if you have a kidney condition”
- “The flu is dangerous if you have a liver condition”
- “The flu is dangerous if you have a lung condition”
- “The flu is dangerous if you have a neurological condition”
- An important message about flu from our Cantonese community in north east London
- An important message about flu from our Polish community in north east London
- An important message about flu from our Somali community in north east London
- An important message about flu from our Bengali community in north east London
- An important message about flu from our Gujarati community in north east London
- An important message about flu from our Filipino community in north east London
- An important message about flu from our Tamil community in north east London
- An important message about flu from our Hindi community in north east London
- An important message about flu from Rev. Andrew Letby (The Methodist Church)
- An important message about flu from Rev James Olanipekun (Christ Apostolic Church)
- An important message about flu from Jas Athwal (Leader of Redbridge London Borough Council)
