Tees NHS Trust urges workers to get flu jab

ONLY 30% OF STAFF MEMBERS HAVE TAKEN THE VACCINE

- By GARETH LIGHTFOOT

LESS than a third of NHS staff on Teesside have taken up flu jabs as a potentially lethal variant of the illness has started to spread.

Leaders for the area's two NHS trusts have urged workers to protect their families and get their vaccines as they said “flu has arrived early’ and in the form of a high-mortality variant.

This follows a medical director's wider plea for people to “please, please get your flu vaccine” as the illness could make people seriously ill and even kill.

Bosses heard how jab rates had been hit nationally by apathy and “anti-vaxxers” in local communities since the Covid pandemic, and this might be affecting people working in the NHS.

Vaccinations were discussed at a board meeting of the University Hospitals Tees group, which covers both North Tees and Hartlepool and South Tees NHS Foundation Trusts.

Non-executive director Mark Dias said: “The flu vaccination programme started in October, vaccinations are being made available.

“I would ask everybody to champion their organisations to ensure we get those rates up again this year.”