The 2013 measles epidemic in Wales came as a salutary reminder of the importance of immunisation in preventing communicable diseases. Similarly, it took an outbreak of bird flu in 2010 to act as a wake-up call for people who had become somewhat laissez-faire about protecting themselves against the influenza virus. In this article we look at the dangers of flu, why the immunisation programme is important, and what you can do to reduce the impact of the flu bug on your patients’ health and well-being.
