Over 65? GPs explain why skipping this one jab can land you in hospital in January

The phone call came just after Boxing Day, while the mince pies were still on the side. A practice nurse in Manchester had been going through a list of patients over 65 who hadn’t yet had their flu jab. One name stood out: a man in his seventies with diabetes, COPD and three missed appointment letters.

By the first week of January, he was in hospital with flu and pneumonia, gasping through a mask.

Every winter, GPs see the same pattern. December is busy, but January is when surgeries and wards really fill up. The difference between a rough week on the sofa and a blue-light dash to A&E is often one decision made back in October or November: whether you booked that flu and Covid booster.

Why January is so dangerous for over‑65s

January doesn’t just “feel” worse. It is.

Circulating viruses peak after Christmas, when families have mixed, schools go back and people spend long hours indoors with the windows shut. For people over 65, lungs are older, immune systems slower, and underlying conditions less forgiving. A virus that causes a few grim days for a 30‑year‑old can tip an older person into respiratory failure.

“Most of the older patients I admit with flu or Covid didn’t have their latest jab,” says Dr Aisha Rahman, a GP in Birmingham. “They usually meant to get round to it. The virus didn’t wait.”

Hospital data backs this up: admissions for flu, Covid and pneumonia in England spike sharply from late December through to February. The steepest rises are in people over 65, especially those with heart or lung disease.

Skipping the jab doesn’t just increase the chance of catching the virus. It increases the chance that, if you do catch it, you end up sick enough to need oxygen, IV antibiotics or even intensive care.

The “one jab” your GP is really talking about

When GPs talk about “this one jab” for over‑65s, they usually mean a winter vaccination visit that covers at least flu and Covid, often in the same appointment.

For most people over 65 in the UK this winter, that means:

• A flu vaccine tailored to older immune systems (often an adjuvanted or high‑dose version).
• An autumn/winter Covid booster, especially if it’s been several months since your last dose.

Depending on your health, your GP may also talk about pneumonia or shingles vaccines, but the winter emergency headlines are driven by flu and Covid.

You may have heard people say, “I had the jab and still got Covid/flu, so what’s the point?” GPs answer that in one simple line: vaccines are seatbelts, not force fields. They don’t always stop the crash, but they massively cut the chance you go through the windscreen.

“The question isn’t ‘will I catch it?’” says Dr Pete Wilson, a GP partner in Leeds. “It’s ‘if I do catch it, will I cope at home or end up on a trolley in a corridor?’ The jab shifts the odds heavily towards home.”

What actually happens in your body after the jab

The immune system in your sixties and seventies is like a well‑used library. It holds a lot of knowledge but needs brighter lights and more time to find the right book.

A flu or Covid vaccine gives your body a clean “wanted poster” for the virus weeks before it knocks on the door. Over three to fourteen days, your immune cells learn the shape of the virus and rehearse what to do. That rehearsal means that, if the real thing arrives in January, your defences don’t lose time improvising.

Ageing slows this process and blunts the response, which is why over‑65s are offered stronger or specially formulated flu vaccines. They contain extra ingredients to wake the immune system up, or higher doses of the active component. Side‑effects can include a sorer arm or feeling washed out for a day or two. For GPs, that’s a trade‑off worth making.

“You might have 24 hours of feeling a bit under the weather after the jab,” says Dr Rahman. “Compare that with ten days in a hospital bed not knowing if you’ll get your breath back.”

“But I’m fit for my age” - common reasons people say no

In consulting rooms up and down the country, doctors hear the same five reasons for skipping the winter jab.

• “I’m healthy, I don’t need it.”
• “I had flu years ago and it was fine.”
• “The jab gave me flu last time.”
• “It’s too late now, winter’s already here.”
• “I don’t want to bother anyone; the NHS is busy.”

Here’s how GPs quietly dismantle those worries.

If you’re “fit for your age”, that’s brilliant - and precisely why they want to keep you out of hospital. Fitness helps you recover, but it doesn’t make you immune to severe infection, especially if you have invisible risks like high blood pressure or mild kidney disease.

The flu jab cannot give you flu. It doesn’t contain live replicating virus. Feeling unwell afterwards is your immune system doing its job, not the vaccine infecting you. Often, people happen to catch another virus around the same time and mentally link the two.

And as for timing: mid‑winter is absolutely not too late. You can still build protection before peak January and February waves. Nurses routinely vaccinate into February for precisely this reason.

“Turn up,” says Dr Wilson. “You are not wasting our time. Calling someone with breathlessness at 2am is what strains the system. Popping in for a 10‑minute jab is what saves it.”

The quiet, practical benefits the headlines miss

Hospital survival isn’t the only metric that matters. GPs see subtler, everyday gains in people who stay well through winter.

A protected winter often means:

• Fewer GP visits for chest infections and steroids.
• Less disruption to long‑term conditions like diabetes or heart failure.
• Lower risk of losing confidence after a bad illness and not going out again.
• More energy to see grandchildren, keep hobbies going and manage at home.

For carers and families, one jab can mean fewer frantic phone calls, fewer emergency taxis to A&E, and more predictable weeks. There’s a big difference between cancelling one coffee because you feel rough and rearranging your whole life around a three‑week hospital stay and rehab.

Small numbers, big breathing room.

At‑a‑glance: what GPs recommend if you’re over 65

Priority	What to do
Flu jab	Book at your GP surgery or local pharmacy as soon as you’re invited.
Covid booster	Accept the first appointment offered, even if it’s at a pharmacy rather than your usual surgery.
Check‑up	Use the visit to review repeat prescriptions and inhalers if you have lung or heart issues.

How to get your jab without the faff

If the whole booking process feels like a hassle, GPs suggest stripping it back to three steps:

1. Look for your invite. This might be a text, letter, phone call or a note at the end of another appointment. If you’re over 65 and haven’t heard, assume you’re eligible anyway.
2. Ring once, ask clearly. Call your GP surgery or use the NHS app and say: “I’m over 65 and want to book my flu and Covid jabs.” Many practices will do both in one slot.
3. Choose a nearby pharmacy if that’s easier. Pharmacies across the UK can vaccinate eligible over‑65s. For some, popping into the chemist next to the supermarket feels simpler than navigating the surgery phone queue.

If mobility, transport or anxiety make it hard to come in, mention that. Practices may be able to bundle your jab with another appointment, arrange a quieter time, or in some areas, include you in a home‑visit round.

“Tell us what’s getting in the way,” says Dr Rahman. “I’d rather spend five minutes problem‑solving than five days visiting you on a ward.”

The decision that pays off in January

The man from Manchester who missed his appointments? He survived. He went home two weeks later, weaker, on more tablets, and determined not to miss another letter. His wife has his new vaccination card pinned by the kettle.

Most stories don’t end in drama. They end in nothing happening - no ambulance, no hospital gown, no wheezing walk to the bathroom. Just a grey Tuesday in January where you make tea, complain about the heating bill and decide which jumper to wear.

That’s what the jab quietly buys you: boring, ordinary winter days at home.

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FAQ:

• Can I have the flu and Covid jabs on the same day? Yes. It’s safe to have them together, and many surgeries and pharmacies prefer this so you’re protected sooner with fewer trips.
• What if I’ve recently had Covid or flu? You can still have the vaccines. You may be advised to wait a few weeks until you’ve recovered, but past infection doesn’t give the same breadth or duration of protection as a booster.
• Are there people who shouldn’t get these jabs? Very few. Severe allergies to a previous dose or a vaccine ingredient are the main reasons. Your GP or pharmacist will check your history and talk through any risks.
• Do I have to pay for these vaccines if I’m over 65? No. In the UK, flu and Covid vaccines for over‑65s are free on the NHS.
• What if I’m housebound or in a care home? You should still be offered vaccination. Community teams and visiting nurses run dedicated clinics and home‑visit rounds; if you haven’t heard, ask your GP surgery or care home manager to chase it.