Supporting our colleagues’ and patients’ health and wellbeing during flu season.

Experts are predicting that flu levels in the UK will be higher than usual this winter. Covid restrictions, social distancing and the use of facial coverings during the last 18 months reduced exposure so many of us will have lower levels of immunity. Combined with the removal of Covid restrictions, the real risk is that flu will spread more easily. This is a risk that E-zec is hoping to reduce, following the provision of flu vaccinations for all of our colleagues to access.

The flu vaccine is one of the most effective ways to reduce the harm that flu can cause and to relieve the pressure it places on our healthcare system each winter. It is all the more important this year because both Covid-19 and flu will be circulating at the same time.

As a patient facing service, the risk of contracting and passing on flu is higher for our employees. Many of our service users are vulnerable and at significant risk of further complications. We want to play our part as an organisation in reducing the risk of flu transmission and help keep our colleagues, their families and our service users as safe as we can this winter.

Offering a flu vaccine to every one of our colleagues, is absolutely the responsible thing to do, and we’re encouraging all our colleagues to get a flu vaccine.  We’ve partnered with Boots to ensure that any of our colleagues who would like a flu vaccine can have one.

Whilst having a flu vaccination provides the best protection, having the vaccine is not totally foolproof.  We also understand it is very much a personal decision and there will be those who are unable to have the vaccine for medical reasons. So, there are other strategies that we are embracing to reduce the risk of our colleagues picking up or passing on the flu to safeguard their wellbeing and that of our patients’:

• Regular hands washing and using hand sanitiser frequently
• Avoiding touching eyes, nose and mouth as much as possible
• Opening doors and windows if in an enclosed space with other people
• Strongly encouraging the wearing of face coverings, in enclosed and crowded areas – it is already a requirement to use our service and in all healthcare settings.
• Covering mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, disposing of tissues in the appropriate way and washing hands afterwards
• Staying away from work and others if they feel unwell.

As a business we take flu, Covid-19 and all other infectious illnesses seriously and commit to do all we can to prevent and reduce the spread of them so we can keep our colleagues, their families and our service users as safe and well as possible.