IW Councillors finally roll up their sleeves!

Isle of Wight cabinet members and senior officers have rolled up their sleeves and had their flu jabs to lead the way in showing we all have a responsibility to protect ourselves, our families and our community.

This year, the Isle of Wight Council and Isle of Wight NHS Trust, community and voluntary sectors are working together to increase vaccination rates and to reduce the impact of flu on Island residents and visitors.

The flu jab is considered essential protection not just for vulnerable groups such as the over 65s, young children, pregnant women and those with pre-existing long-term health conditions, but most importantly for the staff and carers who look after them. The virus can spread fast in hospitals and care homes and lead to serious complications, so maintaining a healthy and resilient workforce this winter and preventing the spread of infection is paramount. The vaccination is available free of charge from GPs and pharmacies for eligible frontline workers so people are being advised to book their jab early to get full protection before the virus is in circulation.

A campaign to inform about the value and benefits of having the flu jab is being run on the Isle of Wight as #ProtectTogether