'He asked me if he was going to die' - Cornwall mum warns of flu virus
A mum from Cornwall is urging people to get vaccinated against flu after her son ended up in intensive care after contracting the virus.
Janine Riley, from Wadebridge, told ITV News her son Henry was "wiped out" from the virus within a few days.
Henry, who was nine at the time, spent weeks in hospital and had to re-learn how to walk.
Janine said: "Typically you think of flu being bad for old people, maybe frail people.
"Henry was really healthy, he did loads of sport and was physically incredibly fit. But he was absolutely wiped out in a few days from it.
"We called an ambulance. They came in and gave him oxygen, and then really quickly called a bigger ambulance. And that's when he asked me if he was going to die, which was horrible."
Henry went on to make a full recovery and is now a teenager. At the time of his illness, he hadn’t received his vaccination yet.
He and his mum Janine are now the faces of an NHS Flu campaign, encouraging eligible people to take up the offer of vaccination.
"I’ve never really been that ill," Henry said. "It's quite surprising how quickly you can get that ill. As a child the nose spray vaccination doesn't hurt at all, and it prevents a lot of illness and pain."
The NHS annual flu vaccination programme is now underway in the South West.
Eligible children and pregnant women, older people, clinically at risk adults, care home residents and frontline workers are now due to start receiving their jabs.
Younger children (aged two or three) can be vaccinated at flu clinics run by their GP, with parents invited to make an appointment.
Parents of school aged children will be contacted by their school aged immunisation service to complete a consent form and access nasal vaccination in school or via a community clinic.
Pregnant women can have the jab at any point in their pregnancy through their GP or at their hospital maternity appointments.
Flu season usually peaks in December and January. The NHS says starting adult vaccinations from October will ensure those most at risk are protected during the colder months when people gather indoors and viruses spread.
You can also speak to your GP or local pharmacy about options to have both the flu and Covid-19 vaccines at the same appointment.
Dr Kheelna Bavalia, South West Medical Director, said: "The flu and Covid-19 vaccines are our best defences against these viruses and can be lifesaving – so I would urge everyone eligible to book their jabs when they become available, to protect themselves and people around them."
She continued: "These viruses leave thousands of people in hospital each year, and the vaccinations help us to keep more people well during the winter months when we expect the NHS to again be under significant pressure – so please come forward as soon as you are invited."
Dr Alasdair Wood, Consultant in Health Protection at UKHSA South West said: “Flu can be more than just an unpleasant illness in children – for some an infection is life-threatening, including kids who are normally very active and healthy.
"To make sure your child doesn’t miss their nasal spray vaccination session, please make sure you return the electronic or paper consent form from the NHS school immunisation team. If you have a pre-schooler who was aged two or three on 31 August, you should make an appointment to get their nasal spray vaccination at your GP practice.
"The flu vaccine also provides the best protection for both pregnant women and their baby. It reduces the risk of severe complications, intensive care needs, stillbirth, prematurity, and provides additional protection to the baby in the first few months of life."
He added: "The flu vaccine has a good safety record for expectant mothers at every stage of pregnancy. It’s natural to have questions about vaccines during pregnancy, so please reach out to a healthcare professional to get the facts if you have question about these vaccinations."