Getting the Flu Jab: Colchester’s Flu Jab Service

You and your family can prepare for this flu season by getting the flu jab. Colchester and the surrounding area benefit from Dedham Pharmacy’s Flu Jab Service.

What is the flu?

The “flu” is the common name for the influenza virus. Influenza is a nasty virus causes symptoms such as high fever and shivers, aching body and head, sore throat and stomach pains.

If you are healthy, the flu is unpleasant and can take two weeks to recover from. But catching the flu can be more serious if you are in a high-risk group.

What is the flu jab?

The flu jab is a vaccination against the influenza virus. Most people receive the flu vaccine as a single injection or jab. But children receive the vaccination in the form of a nasal spray.

Each flu season, different strains of flu virus are identified by the World Health Organisation (WHO). And it’s these strains that are included in the flu vaccine. In other words, the flu vaccine is tailor-made each year to help fight against the identified strains. This means you’ll need to have the flu jab each year to be protected.

The flu vaccine is the best protection against catching the flu. However, the flu vaccine won’t protect 100% but it will help you reduce the risk of getting the flu. Even if you have the jab and still get the flu, it’s likely to less severe and easier to recover from than if you hadn’t had the jab.

You can get your flu jab from your GP or from a pharmacy with the flu jab service.

So, it’s well worth getting the flu vaccine.

Who should have the flu jab?

Anyone can have the flu jab.

Having the flu jab will help protect you from catching and spreading the flu. It will also help prevent you from infecting other people in your family.

It’s ok to have the flu jab when pregnant or if you’re taking antibiotics.

Is there anyone who shouldn’t have the flu jab?

If you are currently unwell with a fever, you should delay getting the flu jab.

The flu vaccine includes egg products. So, anyone with an egg allergy will need to receive a special egg-free vaccine. Let your pharmacist or GP know if you have an egg-allergy when booking your flu vaccination.

Who is eligible for a free flu jab on the NHS?

The flu vaccine is offered for free for people in high-risk groups. You are in a high-risk group if you are in one of the following categories:

Adults over the age of 65
Primary school children
Children aged between 2 and 3 on 31 August 2019
Frontline health or social care workers
Pregnant women
People with certain medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes or chronic heart disease.

Studies increasingly show the benefit of having the flu jab, particularly in the over 65 age group. Having the annual flu jab may reduce the risk of stroke by 24% and reduce the risk of early death in those with high blood pressure by 18%.

Your pharmacist will check if you qualify for a flu vaccination on the NHS. If you don’t qualify for a free flu jab, you can still have the flu jab privately. And you can also get your free flu jab from your pharmacist which may be more convenient than visiting your GP surgery.

When should I have the 2019 flu jab?

The best time to have your flu jab is from early October to the end of November. This is the ideal time but you can have it later during the winter.

What are the flu jab side effects?

The flu jab is a safe and effective method of fighting the flu. If you experience any flu jab side effects, they are likely to be mild.

Following the injected vaccine, the side effects may include:

mild fever
aching muscles
Soreness at the site of the injection in your arm
Loss of appetite

The nasal spray given to children may give different side effects:

A runny or blocked nose
Headache
Tiredness
Loss of appetite

Serious side effects of the injected flu vaccine are very rare.

Where to get the flu jab in Colchester

For the flu jab Colchester residents can benefit from Dedham Pharmacy’s flu jab service. You can book a flu jab appointment online using our booking system.

Dedham Pharmacy is located on the High Street, Dedham and is dedicated to serving the population of Colchester, Boxted, Langley and surrounding areas.

22nd March 201911th September 2019

Your Yellow Fever Vaccination in Colchester

If you’re looking for a yellow fever vaccination Colchester has its own travel clinic at Dedham’s Pharmacy. Dedham Pharmacy’s travel clinic offers a wide range of vaccinations including yellow fever. So, what is yellow fever and who should be vaccinated against it?

What is Yellow Fever?

Yellow fever is a serious viral disease that is common in humid and tropical countries.

The symptoms of the disease can be similar to flu with a high fever and aches in the muscles and joints. The skin and eyes of people suffering from yellow fever will also become jaundiced and yellow in colour, giving this disease its name.

Mosquito bites spread yellow fever. The mosquitos become infected with the yellow fever virus after biting an infected human or monkey. They then pass the virus onto whoever they bite.

Yellow fever epidemics can occur in dense populations with low vaccination rates. However, it cannot be spread from person to person.

Yellow fever can be deadly but luckily there is a very effective vaccination available.

Who should have the yellow fever vaccine?

If you are planning to travel to a tropical or sub-tropical country, you may need to be vaccinated against yellow fever. Countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Central and South America and also the Caribbean are most likely to be in the yellow fever zone. You can find out more about which countries have yellow fever vaccination requirements at the Travel Health Pro website.

Most people can safely receive the yellow fever vaccination. However, there are some exceptions:

Pregnant or breastfeeding women
Babies under 9 months
People over 60 years of age
People with weakened immune systems such as those currently undergoing chemotherapy
Anyone who is allergic to the vaccine ingredients including people with an egg allergy
People with thymus gland conditions

It may be possible to obtain a certificate of exemption for some of the above conditions. However, pregnant or breastfeeding women or people with babies under 9 months are advised to delay their trips until a vaccination can be given.

In order to travel to some countries, a yellow fever vaccination may be mandatory. If you are unsure if you require a yellow fever vaccination, please contact the Dedham Pharmacy Travel Clinic for advice.

It is important to take steps to prevent mosquito bites even if you have been vaccinated against yellow fever. This is because mosquitos can carry other diseases.

Yellow fever vaccination colchester — You may require a yellow fever vaccination for travel to the Caribbean including for cruise holidays.

How can I book a yellow fever vaccination at Dedham Pharmacy?

You can book an appointment online via our travel vaccination booking service. We also offer walk-in appointments.

It’s important to note that you will need to receive your yellow fever vaccination at least 10 days before you travel. So, please take this into account when booking your appointment.

What can I expect from my yellow fever vaccination appointment?

The service will be provided in a private consultation room. Our specially trained staff will talk you through the procedure including the possible side effects. All vaccinations carry risks but generally, these side effects are no worse than having a headache or fever for a couple of days.

The yellow fever vaccination is as one injection into the upper arm. The yellow fever vaccination is a single-dose vaccine meaning it does not require a course of injections or follow-up appointments to be effective. The vaccination area may remain tender for a couple of days after receiving the dose.

Yellow fever vaccinations give lifelong protection. However, some people may occasionally require booster doses of the vaccine. Once you have received the yellow fever vaccine, you will be issued with a vaccination certificate.

How do I get a yellow fever vaccination certificate?

Vaccination certificates are only available at a yellow fever vaccination centre, such as Dedham Pharmacy. The pharmacist issues the vaccination certificate after they give you the yellow fever vaccine.

The certificate will be valid from 10 days after your vaccination. This is to ensure that the vaccine has had time to become effective before you travel.

Yellow fever vaccination colchester and local area by Dedham Pharmacy Travel Clinic. — It’s good to avoid both lion and mosquito bites when on safari in Africa.

Your travel clinic for Yellow Fever Vaccination Colchester, Langham and Boxted

Dedham Pharmacy’s travel clinic in Colchester offers a range of travel services to Colchester and the local area, including Langham and Boxted. If you are planning a trip to a country in the yellow fever zone, it is likely that you will also need medicine to stop you from getting malaria. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff will be happy to provide you with these drugs at your yellow fever vaccination appointment.

Getting the correct travel vaccinations is very important for protecting yourself and your loved ones. So, if you have any doubt about which vaccinations you need please speak to one of our consultants about the yellow fever vaccination.

Colchester and the areas of Langham and Boxted are proudly served by Dedham Pharmacy – the heart of a healthy community.

We can also serve the populations of:

Ardleigh
Lawford
Stratford St Mary
Manningtree
Clacton-on-Sea
Walton-on-the-Naze
And more of the surrounding areas

This post was written on behalf of Dedham Pharmacy by Nicola of Pharmacy Mentor.

20th September 201811th September 2019

Travel Clinic Colchester, Boxted and Langham – Dedham Pharmacy

Your quick and affordable Travel Clinic in and around Colchester

Are you about to embark on your gap year of travel? Are you set and ready for your spiritual journey to Mecca for Hajj or Umrah? Off on a business trip to a more exotic country? Wherever you are going in this world, the Dedham Pharmacy Travel Clinic Colchester is here to keep you safe and protected along your way.

In this blog post, we’re going to talk about why travel medicines and vaccinations are important for your health when traveling, how they work and what you can do to get protected in and around the city of Colchester.

Travel health is a very broad topic with plenty of items to cover so we won’t be covering every aspect of its realm here. However, if you have any questions or queries on anything related to travel health, then all you need to do is give us a call on 01206322109 and our trained pharmacists will be happy to help you. Welcome to the Travel Clinic Colchester!

Why are travel vaccinations important?

When you travel to a more exotic destination, you may be exposed to viruses and bacteria that your body does not have protection against. We call this protection “immunity”, hence the word “immunisations”. This may lead to infection and disease, for example, Hepatitis A or Yellow Fever which will, of course, lead to illness. By having a vaccination, or multiple before you travel, you will develop protection against them. This is extremely important because some of these diseases are often life-threatening.

How do travel vaccines work?

Travel vaccines work in very similar ways to each other and there are plenty of different types that provide immunity against many different diseases.

Essentially, you’re injected with a solution that mimics the pathogen of the disease. This will then stimulate your immune system to produce antibodies (white blood cells) which are designed to fight off the specific infection. Therefore, if you’re ever exposed to the bacteria or virus, then your defense system will kill it before any harm can be done to you.*

Ideally, you should get vaccinated at least 21 days (sometimes more for others such as the Rabies vaccine) before you travel to your destination. This will ensure that your body has time to produce all the antibodies needed for maximum protection.

How long do the vaccines last for?

This really depends on the vaccine in question. Some vaccines last for a couple of years and some last an entire lifetime. This article from the Tropical Medical Bureau gives you lots of useful information about the lifespan of the various vaccines out on the market.

What travel vaccines do I need for my trip?

You might need one, you might need three. You may not even need a vaccine to where you’re going. It all depends on where you’re staying and what you’re doing in the country. The NHS Fit For Travel website is a great resource you can use to help you understand what travel jabs and antimalarial medication you’ll need for each destination. However, when attending your vaccination appointment, always double-check with the healthcare professional that these are the ones you’re going to need. Our pharmacists will do this as standard procedure during your consultation but it’s always good practice.

Malaria prevention

Malaria is a very serious condition that affects many parts of the world kills thousands of people every year. It is transmitted primarily by mosquitos which suck the blood from human beings. There are four kinds of malaria parasite that affect humans and their prevalence differs in different parts of the globe. Thankfully, we can prevent malaria from infecting us by the administration of certain types of medication.

However, the best form of prevention from Malaria is protecting yourself from the bite itself. Have a look at this article which gives you a step by step guide on mosquito bite prevention.

The Dedham Pharmacy Travel Clinic Colchester protecting people in Colchester and the surrounding areas

Our pharmacists at Dedham Pharmacy are fully trained to administer travel vaccinations of all types and prescribe antimalarial medication. We also give you thorough, up-to-date health advice and information ahead of your travels so that you’re fully aware of the risks involved before you depart.

We can serve the populations of:

Colchester
Boxted
Langley
Ardleigh
Lawford
Stratford St Mary
Manningtree
Clacton-on-Sea
Walton-on-the-Naze
And more of the surrounding areas

However, we’re certainly not confined to these areas. If you know you’re passing through, then come in or give us a call on 01206322109.

We partnered with PharmaDoctor to provide this service for you and you can begin your consultation online with us right away if you like. To begin, please click the following link:

Begin online travel health consultation

We wish you the safest and best travels 🙂

THE DEDHAM PHARMACY TEAM

* Please note that vaccines are not 100% effective at preventing disease (more like 90% effective). Therefore, disease prevention best practice is advised at all times. Please have a look at this article for best practice methods and consult your pharmacist for more information if required.

This blog post was written on behalf of Dedham Pharmacy by Pharmacy Mentor.