Getting Through Flu Season in Bath

If you have an older parent or relative in Bath, the most useful thing you can do this month is make sure they have booked their free NHS flu jab. Everyone aged 65 and over has been eligible since 1 October 2026, and appointments are available through GP practices, local pharmacies, the NHS App or by calling 119.

The jab is only part of the picture, though. Getting through winter well in later life also comes down to spotting illness early, staying warm, eating and drinking well, and having someone close by who notices when something isn't quite right. This guide covers all of it.

The NHS flu programme for adults opened on 1 October 2026. According to the UK Health Security Agency, the free vaccine is available to:

If you are the main carer for your mum or dad, you are very likely eligible too. It is worth booking both appointments together.

What about the Covid booster?

This is where many families get caught out. The autumn Covid booster has a narrower eligibility than the flu jab: it is offered to adults aged 75 and over, residents of care homes for older adults and people who are severely immunosuppressed. So a parent aged 70 is due a flu jab but, unless they are immunosuppressed, will not be invited for a Covid booster this year. Those who are eligible for both can usually have them at the same appointment.

Flu is far more than a heavy cold. As we age, the immune system responds less strongly to infection, and flu can lead to complications such as chest infections and pneumonia. It can also make existing conditions, including heart disease, COPD and diabetes, harder to manage.

The flu virus changes every year, and so does the vaccine. Last winter was dominated by a strain of flu A known as subclade K, and UKHSA confirms that this year's vaccine has been updated to protect against it. So even if your parent had the jab last autumn, they need this year's.

Most people in Bath will be contacted by their GP practice, but there is no need to wait for the letter. Your loved one can book through:

Bath's hills are part of its charm, but they are not easy on frosty mornings. For someone living up on Lansdown or Combe Down, a trip down to the surgery is far simpler in October than in January, so booking early makes sense practically as well as medically.

If your relative is housebound, speak to their GP practice. Many practices arrange home vaccinations for patients who genuinely cannot get out.

Flu often comes on suddenly. Classic symptoms include a high temperature, aching muscles, exhaustion and a dry cough. In older people, though, the signs can be subtler. Look out for:

If you are worried, contact their GP or NHS 111. Call 999 if they are struggling to breathe, have chest pain, or are very confused or hard to wake.

Small, steady habits make a real difference through the colder months.

Many of Bath's most beautiful homes are also its hardest to keep warm. Tall Georgian rooms, sash windows and stone staircases can mean one cosy sitting room and a chilly hallway, landing and bedroom. Keeping heat in the rooms your loved one actually uses, and making sure the bedroom is warm before bedtime, matters more than heating the whole house.

Winter is also the busiest time of year for the Royal United Hospital. For an older person, even a short hospital stay can affect strength, confidence and independence. Every illness caught early, and every fall avoided, is one less reason to need a bed.

For families who live away, in London or further afield, it can be hard to know how a parent is really coping between visits. A phone call rarely tells you whether they have eaten properly, or whether they are a little more breathless than last week.

With live-in care, a dedicated carer lives in your loved one's home and gets to know their routines, appetite and moods. That familiarity is what makes the difference in winter: a carer who sees your mother every day will notice when she leaves her breakfast, seems more tired than usual or is slightly muddled, and can contact her GP straight away.

A live-in carer can also book and accompany them to their vaccination appointment, keep the home warm, prepare nourishing meals, prompt drinks through the day and manage medication. If a hospital stay does happen, they are already in place to support a safe and comfortable return home.

Most importantly, your loved one stays in the home they know, with one familiar person beside them, rather than facing winter alone.

Is the flu jab free for over-65s?

Yes. In England, everyone aged 65 and over can get a free NHS flu vaccine from 1 October 2026. It is available from GP practices and many community pharmacies, and can be booked through the NHS App, the NHS website or by calling 119.

Can the flu jab give you flu?

No. The flu vaccine given to adults as an injection does not contain live virus, so it cannot give you flu. Some people have a sore arm or feel slightly achy for a day or two afterwards, which is the immune system responding to the vaccine.

Can my parent have the flu jab and Covid booster at the same time?

If they are eligible for both, yes. Clinical guidance confirms it is safe to have both vaccines at the same appointment, usually one in each arm. Remember that the Covid booster is only offered to those aged 75 and over or with certain health conditions.

Is it too late to have the flu jab in December or January?

No. Autumn is the best time, before flu starts spreading widely, but it is still worth having the vaccine later in winter, as flu can circulate well into the new year. The NHS programme runs until 31 March 2027.

What if my parent cannot leave the house?

Contact their GP practice and explain the situation. Many practices offer home visits for housebound patients. A live-in carer can also help them attend an appointment safely.

Winter can feel like a worrying time when someone you love is living alone. If you'd like to talk through what support could look like for your mum, dad or loved one this winter, our Bath care team is here to help.