AlaskaDenise
In Memoriam
Poultry workers in Lancashire are being urged to have a flu vaccination ? even though it will not protect them against bird flu. Bosses at Central Lancashire Primary Care Trust have contacted 195 poultry keepers in the area to offer them a free flu jab.
They have defended the move by saying they want to avoid any chance of poultry workers catching ordinary flu at a time when they could come into contact with a bird infected with bird flu.
Health experts claim even though the flu vaccine does not protect against bird flu, if both flu viruses meet, there is a possibility another flu virus could develop.
District nurses have planned a trip to the Martin Mere Wildfowl Trust to vaccinate some of its workers.
The PCT has contacted all registered poultry keepers in central Lancashire suggesting anyone who works with, or handles, live birds should contact their GP to receive a free flu jab.
Maggi Morris, director of public health at Central Lancashire Primary Care Trust, said: "Bird flu viruses rarely cause illness in people, but we need to protect all poultry workers from getting ordinary flu.
"It does not hurt at all and is over within seconds." People can get the flu vaccine if they spend a lot of time in areas where poultry is kept for rearing or egg production purposes, handle live poultry, catch poultry in poultry houses, sort eggs in poultry houses, clean poultry houses or collect and remove poultry manure or litter from poultry houses.
Those who slaughter poultry and remove the internal organs and other parts from dead poultry and people who clean and disinfect live bird and processing areas in slaughter houses are also urged to take up the flu vaccine offer.
If you think you may need a flu jab but have not had notification, speak to your GP, practice nurse or pharmacist.
Alternatively, contact NHS Direct on 0845 46 47 or log on to www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk.
http://www.lep.co.uk/news/Poultry-farmers39-flu-jab-amid.3496998.jp
They have defended the move by saying they want to avoid any chance of poultry workers catching ordinary flu at a time when they could come into contact with a bird infected with bird flu.
Health experts claim even though the flu vaccine does not protect against bird flu, if both flu viruses meet, there is a possibility another flu virus could develop.
District nurses have planned a trip to the Martin Mere Wildfowl Trust to vaccinate some of its workers.
The PCT has contacted all registered poultry keepers in central Lancashire suggesting anyone who works with, or handles, live birds should contact their GP to receive a free flu jab.
Maggi Morris, director of public health at Central Lancashire Primary Care Trust, said: "Bird flu viruses rarely cause illness in people, but we need to protect all poultry workers from getting ordinary flu.
"It does not hurt at all and is over within seconds." People can get the flu vaccine if they spend a lot of time in areas where poultry is kept for rearing or egg production purposes, handle live poultry, catch poultry in poultry houses, sort eggs in poultry houses, clean poultry houses or collect and remove poultry manure or litter from poultry houses.
Those who slaughter poultry and remove the internal organs and other parts from dead poultry and people who clean and disinfect live bird and processing areas in slaughter houses are also urged to take up the flu vaccine offer.
If you think you may need a flu jab but have not had notification, speak to your GP, practice nurse or pharmacist.
Alternatively, contact NHS Direct on 0845 46 47 or log on to www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk.
http://www.lep.co.uk/news/Poultry-farmers39-flu-jab-amid.3496998.jp