Flu vaccination jabs are now available to Bermudians as winter approaches.

The Department of Health has started its annual programme of immunisation and is recommending that those at risk of complications caused by falling ill to flu, particularly the very young and old, make sure they have a jab.

Children aged six months to two years old, the elderly over 65 and those staying in rest homes are being urged to make sure they have a flu vaccination.

Others who should have a jab are those with chronic health problems such as heart or lung conditions, asthma, kidney disease, sickle cell anaemia, immune system disease, young people up to the age of 18 on aspirin therapy and pregnant women in their second or third trimester during flu season.

?Flu vaccine is safe and highly effective in preventing most cases of flu. Side effects are rare and usually mild,? said senior medical officer Brenda Davidson in a statement. ?The chances of contracting flu and other upper respiratory infections can also be reduced by frequent hand-washing practices, ?covering? coughs and sneezes and avoiding crowded places.?

While the current flu vaccines are designed to protect against the most likely strains to be in circulation this flu season, they are not expected to provide protection from new strains of virus such as might evolve in the future from mutated strains of ?bird flu? or other new virus.

Essential public service workers, including teachers, Police, prison and customs officers, as well as health care providers, travellers, individuals living in dormitories and crowded conditions and those with close contact to family members with chronic health problems are also recommended to have a flu vaccination.

Flu vaccine is available from the Department of Health centres costing $10 per shot. Those seeking a vaccination should attend Hamilton health centre Mondays to Fridays from 8.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m., St George?s health centre on Mondays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. or Somerset health centre on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Flu vaccine is also available from most private physicians. Individuals under a physician?s care for chronic health problems, and children under the age of two, are asked to obtain permission for a flu vaccination from their physician.