Many patients who rely on unpaid carers would be unable to cope alone if their carer caught the flu.
Carers who are not vaccinated risk passing the virus on to the people they care for, which could make them seriously ill.
Although carers are entitled to a free seasonal flu vaccination from their local GP surgery (and may have already had one due to being in an ‘at risk’ group), many carers are not aware of this or even realise that they are a carer.
So if you look after a partner, relative, friend or neighbour who could not get by without your help due to frailty, illness, disability, mental ill health or addiction then you are classified as a carer.