Thousands of older people in Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire have helped make this year's local flu vaccination campaign one of the most successful to date.

The 2021/22 season saw more people aged 65 and over came forward for the flu jab, which experts cite as the most robust defence against the virus, than during the previous winter.

Clinicians have thanked those who had the vaccine for not only helping to limit the spread of flu in the local community, but also for their role in keeping the virus out of the region's hospitals.

Between September 2021 and March 2022, more than 86 per cent of all people aged 65 in Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire received a flu vaccine, which is up around two per cent on last year.

There was also high uptake among people aged over 50, with around three quarters (72 per cent) having the vaccine.

Similarly, nearly half (47 per cent) of all pregnant women in the region got protected during the latest season.

Lead Nurse for Infection Prevention and Control, Connie Timmins, said: "We know that vaccines are very good at keeping people safe from illness, and we're absolutely delighted by just how many people chose to roll up their sleeves this year.

"While having the jab protects the individual and those around them, doing so also helps to prevent further community transmission and the overall likelihood of vulnerable people needing to be admitted to hospital.

"The arrival of March signals the end of flu season, but the virus itself does not just disappear overnight, and people should continue to take precautions, such as staying at home when unwell, washing hands regularly, covering mouths when coughing and throwing used tissues in the bin immediately after sneezing."

This year's flu vaccination campaign saw many parents bring their young children forward to get protected.

Around 59 per cent of the region's two-year-olds, as well as 61 per cent of three year-olds, had the vaccine, which is given in the form of a painless nasal spray.

The flu vaccine, which offers a high level of protection against the virus, can still be accessed outside of the winter months from some GP practices, pharmacies, high street chemists and larger supermarkets.