Salisbury District Hospital staff urged to get flu jab
A campaign's been launched to encourage employees to have this year's vaccine.
A free flu vaccination is offered to every single member of staff at the Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust - that's more than 4,000 jabs that could be administered.
There's now a push to encourage as many of those staff as possible to get themselves protected this year.
That, in turn, could also help keep their families and patients safer from the illness too.
The jabs will be offered to frontline staff dealing closely with patients first, before being rolled out to all other staff members through the flu season.
Last year, 80% of those working at Salisbury District Hospital had the vaccine - well above the Government's target.
The Trust's CEO Stacey Hunter has put out a 'personal plea' to employees to take up the offer of an injection:
The flu vaccine is considered all the more important this winter, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Research from Public Health England has found that people with flu as well as coronavirus are twice as likely to die.
The Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust is also using the staff themselves to spread the message.
Consultant Surgeon, Graham Branagan said:
"I can only encourage everyone to do their very best to mitigate the risks of a winter filled with flu and Covid, by getting their flu vaccine."
Judy Dyos, Director of Nursing has already had her vaccine:
"Can I please, please encourage you to have your flu jab this year. It didn't hurt a single bit! This year is more important than any year."
Staff at SDH will be contacted about getting their flu jab.
There's also a public campaign by Public Health England asking the 30 million people in the UK eligible for the vaccine this winter to take up the offer.