Prices

How can I get the flu jab?

Swing by a clinic or pharmacy – if you want to get the flu jab, please visit your local Superdrug  Pharmacy, or call our Customer Service team to confirm availability for our Superdrug Health Clinics.

Early bird discount – Until the 5th of November, we’re offering a special price on the flu jab. Health and Beautycard holders can get the flu jab for only £6.99 – a whole 30% off! Don’t worry if you don’t have a Health and Beautycard already – you can quickly and easily register in any clinic or pharmacy before your appointment to get your discount.

Which jab do we offer? – Superdrug is offering the quadrivalent flu jab, which protects against the four most common strains of the flu this flu season. It is given as an injection, usually in the upper arm.

You might be able to get your jab for free – we also offer free flu jabs funded by the NHS in many of our pharmacies. Please check with your local Superdrug pharmacy to find out more. You may be eligible if any of the following apply to you:

• You’re under 9 or over 65
• You’re pregnant
• You have heart or lung problems, including asthma
• You’re diabetic
• You have a chronic kidney or liver condition
• You have a long term neurological problem, including if you had a stroke
• You have another illness
• You have a BMI (body mass index) over 40
• You are immunosuppressed or looking after someone who has immunosuppression

Where else can you get the flu jab? – you can also get the jab from one of the following places:

• Your GP surgery
• A local midwifery service (if you’re pregnant)

Getting a chickenpox vaccine too? – The chickenpox vaccine does not interfere with the flu vaccine so you can have these at the same time or at any time interval.

Why get the flu jab?

The flu jab helps prevent you getting the flu and having to experience symptoms or take time to recover – the flu jab reduces your risk of getting the flu. Although the flu jab does not prevent 100% of all flu cases, people who have been vaccinated and who catch a strain of the flu they are vaccinated against tend to have less severe symptoms which usually improve within a shorter period of time.

Getting the flu can be dangerous for some people – although it’s a common viral infection, the flu can cause serious complications in children, the elderly, those with a weakened immune system and pregnant women. For these groups, the flu jab offers protection not only from the flu but helps to reduce the risk of more serious illness and the secondary complications of flu, like pneumonia.

What happens when you do get the flu? – the flu is a common viral infection which spreads by little droplets, usually by coughs and sneezes. It is particularly common during the winter months and causes unpleasant symptoms, like fever/chills, tiredness and muscle aches which can last for days. Although the symptoms tend to clear within a week in people who are otherwise healthy, it can cause serious complications in pregnant women, elderly patients, young children and people with an impaired immune system.

What happens if I get the flu jab?

You won’t get the flu itself, but you can get some of the symptoms – the flu jab is not a live vaccine, which means you cannot get the flu from the flu jab. However, the flu jab may cause flu-like symptoms as a side effect. The side effects of the flu jab tend to be mild and they usually pass within days. If you get an injection, the injection site may be red and sore for a few days after you have received your vaccine. Your nurse or pharmacist will also give more information about potential side effects.

Some people can have an allergic reaction, but this is rare – a small number of people can have an allergic reaction to the vaccine (anaphylaxis). The medical staff giving you your vaccine will be trained to respond to this situation in the unlikely event it happens to you. If you’ve had a serious allergic reaction to a flu vaccine before you should avoid another vaccination. The vaccine we use is safe for those with egg allergy except if this is very severe, such as an anaphylactic reaction that needed intensive care – talk to your nurse or pharmacist for more information.

When will it start working? – it can take up to 14 days for your immunity to develop after getting the flu jab. This is why it’s always best to get vaccinated early in the season to minimise your chance of catching it before you develop immunity.

How often do you need to get the flu jab?

You need to get vaccinated every year in order to stay protected – the flu virus is constantly changing and a new vaccine is formulated every year to remain effective against the most common strands of the flu going around.

When should I start thinking about getting the jab? – the best time to get the vaccine is before the beginning of the flu season, but you can also get it later in winter.

Should I get the jab if I’ve already had the flu this year? – yes. There is more than 1 strain of flu virus in circulation every year and can still get reduce your chance of getting other strains even if you’ve already gotten over 1 infection.

Which symptoms does the flu cause?

The flu can cause a range of symptoms – the symptoms can be mild or severe and they usually improve within a week.

Symptoms of the flu include:

• Fever
• Headache
• Tiredness
• Muscle aches
• Sore throat
• Nasal congestion
• Stomach pain and digestive problems such as diarrhoea
• Weakness
• Difficulty sleeping
• Loss of appetite
• Shivering
• Cough
• Nausea
• Vomiting

How long do symptoms normally last? – although the symptoms tend to improve significantly within seven days, you may find that you feel tired for a while after an episode of the flu. If you’re worried your symptoms are severe or not improving, seek medical advice.

Is it flu symptoms or a cold? – the flu is often confused with the common cold, which can cause very similar symptoms. When you have a cold, your symptoms tend to be milder and they usually come on gradually. For further information on identifying your symptoms, read our guide on how to tell the difference between a cold and the flu