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Adele Silva and Laura Hamilton support Stay Well This Winter campaign
TV Presenter Laura Hamilton, mum of two, and former Emmerdale actress Adele Silva, mum of one, are supporting a major drive to help people stay well this winter, including urging parents of kids aged 2-4 and in school years 1 and 2, pregnant women and those with long term health problems, to take up the offer of the free flu vaccination.
The ‘Stay Well This Winter’ campaign, a joint initiative from Public Health England and NHS England, will kick off with a national flu vaccination programme, which this year seeks to vaccinate three million 2-6 year olds, 2.1 million more children than last year.
The campaign will encourage mums and dads to think about getting their children vaccinated this winter and for the first time ever, primary school children in years 1 and 2 will also be offered the free nasal spray vaccine. The drive will be the largest school-based vaccination programme ever in England involving 17,000 schools.
Public Health England has also created a charming new film, to dispel myths around the flu vaccination. The light-hearted film sees children taking on adult personas, and calling for everyone to be ‘grown-up about the flu vaccination’. Narrated by leading TV doctor Dr Ranj, the ‘little adults’ take the viewers through a typical day in a doctors surgery, explaining that the flu vaccination is one of the best ways to protect against flu.
Laura Hamilton, TV Presenter, and mum of two said: “Like most mums, my worst fear is my kids getting ill – you always want to protect them. The flu vaccine for little ones is an easy way to keep flu at bay and to minimise the chance of it spreading to more vulnerable people such as the elderly. Don’t put it off, it’s so easy to get your kids protected against flu this winter.”
Adele Silva, former Emmerdale actress and mum of one said: “When you’re pregnant you can be more vulnerable to serious side effects from flu. That’s why it’s so important to protect yourself with the flu vaccine if you’re expecting a little one. It was one of the first things on my list when I was pregnant and it gave me extra peace of mind over winter. If you are offered the flu jab, make sure you take up the offer.”
As well as helping protect the public against flu, the Stay Well this Winter campaign also aims to encourage older people over 65 or those with long-term health conditions, such as diabetes, stroke, heart disease or respiratory illness, to prepare for winter with advice on how to ward off common illnesses.
Cold weather can result in changes to the blood which can result in blood clots, causing heart attacks or stroke. Those who are aged 65 or over, or who have a long-health condition, are particularly at risk as circulatory system diseases account for 40% of excess winter deaths, such as heart attacks and strokes.
The Stay Well This Winter campaign aims to help the public for winter, by following the below points:
- Make sure you get your flu jab.
- Keep yourself warm. Heat your home to least 18 degrees C or (65f) if you can.
- If you start to feel unwell, even if it’s just a cough or a cold, then get help from your pharmacist quickly before it gets more serious.
- Look out for other people before it gets more serious.
Across the campaign there are a range of self-care messages including making sure you get your prescription medicines before pharmacies close on Christmas Eve and always take your prescribed medicines as directed.