Mums-to-be can enjoy a chance to be creative as well as being given important vaccination advice when Walsall’s flu fairies fly into the Manor Hospital’s antenatal clinic next week.
The flu fairies will be landing at 10am on Monday 24 October and supporting service users until 3pm – offering chats and creative activities.
They will also be talking to mums-to-be about the importance and benefits of having the flu and COVID-19 jabs. They are promoting both jabs for pregnant women as part of Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust’s efforts with Public Health Walsall, to spread the message about how important the vaccinations are to this high-risk group of people.
Flu fairies are a Public Health Walsall initiative and, pre-pandemic, they spoke to more than 300 women.
Donna Perkins, Antenatal Clinic Manager at Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, said: “We’re so pleased to be able to welcome them back this year.
“We want our mums-to-be to have all the information and support they need to make an informed decision about having the flu jab, particularly as flu season is now here.
“Our lovely flu fairies are experts at creating special objects to take home and certainly put our service users at ease as they can talk people through any fears they have about the vaccine and help to bust myths. Pregnancy naturally alters the way our body handles infections such as flu and as a result mums-to-be may be less able to fight off infections. Its unpredictability means vaccination provides the best protection.”
Councillor Gary Flint, Portfolio Holder for Health and Wellbeing at Walsall Council, said: “We want to do all we can to ensure the health and wellbeing of our mums-to-be and their babies.
“The flu and Covid jabs are free of charge to the mother and reduce the risk of complications such as premature birth if they catch the flu while pregnant. The vaccines are safe during any stage of pregnancy and do not carry any risks for mother or baby.
“They protect the baby during the first few months of its life as immunity continues after the baby is born.”
Flu fairies will also be visiting the hospital in November and December.