People aged 65 and over urged to get protected against flu / Pobl 65 oed a throsodd yn cael eu hannog i gael eu diogelu rhag ffliw

Mae pobl 65 oed a throsodd yng Nghymru’n cael eu hannog i gael eu brechlyn ffliw GIG rhad ac am ddim. Brechu yw’r ffordd orau o ddiogelu rhag y salwch hwn sy’n gallu bod yn ddifrifol.

Mae Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Hywel Dda yn atgoffa pobl hŷn eu bod yn wynebu mwy o risg o gymhlethdodau os cânt ffliw na’r boblogaeth yn gyffredinol. Gall ffliw fod yn salwch difrifol, yn arwain at gymhlethdodau fel niwmonia, a phob blwyddyn mae pobl yng Nghymru yn gorfod mynd i ysbyty neu unedau gofal dwys oherwydd ffliw. Y llynedd, roedd dros hanner o’r achosion o influenza mewn ysbytai yng Nghymru mewn pobl 65 oed a throsodd.

Mae’r data diweddaraf ar faint o bobl gafodd eu brechu yn dangos fod llawer o bobl hŷn yng Nghymru – ychydig dros hanner pobl 65 oed a throsodd – wedi cael eu brechlyn ffliw yn barod eleni. Ond mae’r bobl na chawsant y brechlyn eto’r gaeaf hwn yn dal i wynebu risg, ac maen nhw’n cael eu hannog i gael eu brechu cyn gynted â phosib i gael y warchodaeth orau.

Mae Ros Jervis, Cyfarwyddwr Iechyd y Cyhoedd Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Hywel Dda, yn annog pawb cymwys i gael y brechiad rhag y ffliw: “Mae meddygon teulu a fferyllfeydd cymunedol yn dal i gefnogi’r ymgyrch Curwch Ffliw er mwyn diogelu ein cymunedau lleol ledled Sir Gâr, Ceredigion a Sir Benfro.

“Rydym yn disgwyl gweld achosion o’r ffliw yn y gymuned yn cynyddu wrth i’r Nadolig nesáu, a’r ffordd orau o osgoi mynd yn sâl ac atal y firws rhag ymledu yw cael eich brechu.

“Gall y ffliw fod yn ddifrifol tu hwnt i’r grwpiau sy’n wynebu’r risg fwyaf, gan arwain at gymhlethdodau difrifol neu farwolaeth hyd yn oed.
“Cael eich brechu rhag y ffliw yw’r ffordd orau o ddiogelu’r gymuned rhagddo. Felly, hoffwn annog unrhyw rai sy’n dal i ystyried cael eu brechu i gysylltu â’u meddyg teulu neu’u fferyllydd ar unwaith i gael y brechiad sy’n rhad ac am ddim.

“Yn ogystal, dylai rhieni plant rhwng dwy a naw oed sicrhau bod eu plant yn cael y brechiad rhad ac am ddim ar ffurf chwistrell drwy’r trwyn, nid yn unig er mwyn diogelu eu plant ond hefyd er mwyn diogelu ymhellach eu neiniau a’u teidiau a pherthnasau eraill sy’n 65 oed neu hŷn.”

Mae Angharad Phillips o elusen genedlaethol Age Cymru yn annog pobl i wrando ar yr arbenigwyr, ac ychwanegodd: “Mae influenza yn risg iechyd sylweddol i ni gyd, ond yn enwedig i’r rheiny sydd yn hŷn. Dyna pam mae’r GIG yn ariannu’r brechlyn ffliw ar gyfer pobl 65 oed a throsodd bob blwyddyn.

“Wrth i ni heneiddio mae’n sustem imiwnedd yn llai effeithlon o ran yr amddiffyniad mae’n rhoi i ni ac felly fe ddylen ni gymryd pob cam posib i’n diogelu rhag haint all fod yn farwol i bobl hŷn.

“Y brechlyn ffliw yw’r amddiffyniad gorau sydd ganddom ni ar hyn o bryd rhag ffliw, mae’n helpu atal cael ffliw a’i ledu i eraill.

“Yn Age Cymru rydym yn hyrwyddo’r brechiad ffliw am ddim bob blwyddyn fel rhan o’n hymgyrch iechyd a gwydnwch dros y gaeaf. Rydym yn gofyn i bobl sicrhau fod pobl yn cael ‘Lles Drwy Wres’ yn hytrach na chael y ffliw! Amddiffynwch eich hun ac eraill yr un pryd.”

Caiff y rhan fwyaf o frechlynnau ffliw’r GIG eu rhoi mewn meddygfeydd teulu, ond mae’r brechiad ar gael i oedolion hefyd mewn nifer o fferyllfeydd cymunedol ledled Cymru.

Caiff firws y ffliw ei wasgaru trwy ddiferion sy’n cael eu chwistrellu i’r awyr pan mae person sydd wedi’i heintio yn pesychu neu’n tisian. Mae cyswllt uniongyrchol â dwylo neu arwynebau a heintiwyd hefyd yn gallu gwasgaru’r haint. Gall ledu’n gyflym iawn, yn enwedig felly mewn cymunedau caeëdig fel ysbytai, cartrefi preswyl ac ysgolion.

Am fwy o wybodaeth ewch i www.curwchffliw.org neu www.beatflu.org neu trwy ddod o hyd i Curwch Ffliw neu Beat Flu ar Twitter a Facebook.

People aged 65 and over in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire are being urged to get their free NHS flu vaccine.

Vaccination is the best way to protect against this potentially serious illness.

Hywel Dda University Health Board is reminding older people that they are more at risk of complications if they catch influenza (flu) than the general population. Flu can be a serious illness, leading to complications like pneumonia, and every year people in Wales end up in hospital or intensive care units with flu. What’s more, last year, more than half of all confirmed cases of influenza in hospitals in Wales were in people aged 65 and older.

Latest vaccine uptake data shows that many older people in Wales – just over half of those aged 65 and over – have already had their flu vaccine this year. But those who haven’t had the vaccine yet this winter remain at risk, and are encouraged to get vaccinated as soon as possible for the best protection.

Ros Jervis, Director of Public Health for Hywel Dda University Health Board, is encouraging all those who are eligible to have the flu jab: “GPs and community pharmacies are continuing to support the Beat Flu campaign to protect our local communities across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire.

“We expect to see cases of flu in the community on the rise in the build up to Christmas and the best way to avoid becoming ill and prevent the spread of the virus is to get vaccinated.

“Flu can be extremely serious in those in the at risk groups, leading to severe complications or even death.

“Flu vaccination remains the single best way to protect the community against flu and so I urge anyone who is still thinking about getting vaccinated to contact their GP or pharmacist immediately to have the free vaccine.

“Parents of children aged between two and nine should also ensure that they receive their free nasal spray vaccine, not only to protect them, but to give additional protection to grandparents and other relatives aged 65 or over.”

Angharad Phillips of national charity Age Cymru urges people to listen to the experts, and added: “Influenza is still a very real health risk to us all, but especially for those of us who are older. This is why the NHS funds people aged 65 and older to have a flu vaccination every year.

“As we age our immune system becomes less efficient at protecting us and so we should take every precaution we can against a disease that can prove fatal to older people.

“Flu vaccine is the best protection we currently have against flu, it helps protect against catching flu and also against spreading flu to others.

“At Age Cymru we promote uptake of the free flu vaccine every year as part of our own winter health and resilience campaign. We ask that people ‘Spread The Warmth’ to older people and not the flu! Get protected and protect others at the same time.”

Most NHS flu vaccines are given in GP surgeries, but the vaccination is also widely available for adults in many community pharmacies across Wales.

The influenza virus is spread via droplets which are sprayed into the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Direct contact with contaminated hands or surfaces can also spread infection. The virus can spread rapidly, especially in closed communities such as hospitals, residential homes and schools.

Find out more by visiting www.beatflu.org or www.curwchffliw.org or finding Beat Flu or Curwch Ffliw on Twitter and Facebook.