People in Cornwall are being urged to prepare for winter with a free vaccination from the NHS.

Public Health England and the NHS have launched the Stay Well This Winter campaign, with the national flu vaccination programme now available to all eligible people.

The campaign will help the most vulnerable people avoid having to visit a hospital due to common winter illnesses, and they are being urged to get their vaccination ahead of the winter period when the virus is most common.

The chief medical officer has warned that flu, and complications associated with it, cause 8,000 deaths on average a year in England.

The vaccination is offered to those who are at increased risk from the effects of flu, including children aged two to eight, people aged 65 and over, pregnant women and those with long term health conditions.

Jenny Harries, deputy director of Public Health England, said: “We know that flu can be very serious especially for the most vulnerable people in the community.

“I would urge eligible people in the South West to help keep the most vulnerable in the region well and to avoid unnecessary hospital visits by making sure they are vaccinated.

“Last years flu vaccination uptake figures indicate that children aged two to four years could be better protected. It is particularly important for children to get vaccinated to keep them well and to minimise the chance of spread wider in the community, children can easily get the vaccine through a nasal spray.”

Public Health England warned that people with respiratory diseases like COPD, emphysema or asthma are seven times more likely to die if they catch flu, and people with cardiovascular problems like chronic heart disease or angina, or who have had a stroke, are 11 times more likely compared to those who don’t. The risk is far worse for those with chronic liver disease, who are 48 times more likely to die if they get flu.

Another way of protecting vulnerable adults is to vaccinate children, who the agency said are ‘super-spreaders’ of the virus. Last year’s flu vaccination programme reduced the risk of flu in children who received the vaccine by 65 per cent.

Professor Dame Sally Davies, the chief medical officer, said: "Flu kills and we could save thousands of lives if everyone eligible got their free jab.

“With more people eligible than ever before and the vaccine available in more locations, people should protect themselves and those around them against this potentially deadly virus. Taking a few minutes to get the jab could save your life this winter.”

To get your vaccine or find out if you are eligible, contact your GP, pharmacist or midwife for more information.

Visit nhs.uk/staywell for more details on how to help you and your family to stay well this winter.