AS flu season approaches, Chelmsford Road Pharmacy, Holmewood Pharmacy, Rehman Pharmacy, The Ridge Pharmacy, and Laceby Pharmacy - all based in Bradford and part of the Imaan Healthcare chain - are advising people to get jabbed at a community pharmacy.

Many people visit a GP to receive their flu vaccination, which often leads to their services becoming quickly inundated.

Long queues and busy phone lines lead to stress on all sides as healthcare workers are pushed to their limits and patients are inconvenienced.

Therefore, patients can divert pressure from GPs by getting their flu jab at their local community pharmacy.

By spreading vaccinations across these services, it allows more people to be vaccinated while reducing the overall strain on healthcare workers.

Additionally, more vaccinated people means greater immunity and fewer people requiring treatment from busy NHS services.

Earlier in the year, reports of flu cases in the UK were low.

Imaan Healthcare says this was due to the restrictions that were in place due to the Covid-19 pandemic and potentially because flu was masked by other respiratory viruses.

However, these reduced levels of influenza will likely correlate to lower population immunity.

As it is expected that Covid-19 will co-circulate with the flu, this reduced immunity will make this flu season extra dangerous for those who are unvaccinated.

Patients are urged to get their vaccination as soon as possible, but to be patient with services as they are overwhelmed by high demand.

If eligible for a flu vaccination this year, people can get their jab at one of the five Imaan Healthcare pharamacies.