Community Shield Against Seasonal Illnesses

Imagine your favourite rugby/cricket/hockey team walking onto the pitch without any protective gear – no shin pads/abdominal guards, no goalkeeper gloves, helmets, mouthguards -nothing to shield them from injury. That wouldn't make much sense, would it?

Well, that's exactly what happens when our community doesn't get vaccinated against seasonal illnesses like flu and COVID-19.

What is a Community Shield?

Just like a football/rugby/hockey team works together to protect their goal, our community works together to protect everyone's health. We call this our "Community Shield." When enough people get vaccinated – about 75 out of every 100 people – we create an invisible protective barrier that stops harmful viruses from spreading easily through our towns and villages.

Think of it like this: when you and your friends link arms in a circle during a playground game, it's really hard for someone to break through. Vaccines work the same way – they help our bodies link arms together to keep dangerous germs/viruses out.

As the Cornish say, "Onen hag oll" – One and All. This ancient motto perfectly captures what our Community Shield is all about. When we all work together, protecting one means protecting all. The phrase represents unity and inclusiveness, reflecting the true spirit of the our local community, and vaccination is one of the most powerful ways we can live this motto today.

The Numbers Tell the Story

The good news is that vaccines really work! Let's look at what happens when our Community Shield is strong:

Flu Protection: Across England this winter, flu vaccines have prevented around 100,000 people from needing hospital treatment. That means 100,000 families didn't have to worry about their loved ones being seriously ill – all because people rolled up their sleeves for a quick jab.

RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) Success: This is exciting news! The new RSV vaccine programme for older adults has already achieved a 30% reduction in hospital admissions among those who got vaccinated. RSV typically causes around 9,000 hospital admissions each year in people over 75, but vaccination is changing that story.

Pneumonia Prevention: Pneumonia sent over 252,000 people to hospital in England last year – that's like the entire population of Plymouth! But vaccination rates among over-65s reached 73.1%, helping protect thousands from this serious lung infection.

Shingles Shield: The shingles vaccine is building protection too, with coverage reaching 45.1% in those turning 71, and 33.1% in those turning 66. This painful condition affects 1 in 4 people during their lifetime, but vaccination can prevent it.

Right here in Cornwall, we've seen amazing results when our community works together. When we launched special child-friendly vaccination clinics, we increased vaccination rates in 5-11 year olds by 14% in just under a month. That's hundreds of local children who are now better protected!

But we need to do better. We're still building our Community Shield – but there are some gaps we need to fill across all these important vaccines.

Why Should Young People Care?

You might think, "I'm young and healthy, so why do I need to worry about vaccines?" Here's the thing – you're not just protecting yourself, you're protecting everyone around you. Your grandparents, your teachers, your friends who might have asthma or other health conditions, and even your pets' veterinarian!

When viruses like flu, RSV, and pneumonia circulate in our community, they cause hundreds of thousands of hospital admissions across England. But when enough people of all ages get vaccinated, we can stop these viruses from spreading to reach those who are more vulnerable.

It's like being a superhero – your superpower is helping protect the whole community with one simple action.

Where Our Community Shield Will Have the Most Impact

Vaccination saves lives and protects people's health. It ranks second only to clean water as the most effective public health intervention to prevent disease. That means getting vaccinated is one of the most powerful things we can do to keep our community healthy!

But where will building our Community Shield make the biggest difference right here in Cornwall?

Our Most Vulnerable Neighbours:

• Care homes and assisted living: When vaccination rates reach 75% among residents and staff, outbreaks of flu and COVID-19 drop by up to 80%
• People with long-term conditions: Those with diabetes, heart disease, or breathing problems like asthma are 3-5 times more likely to end up in hospital if they catch flu or COVID-19
• Pregnant women and new babies: Mums who get vaccinated during pregnancy pass protection to their babies, keeping them safe in their first few months when they're too young for their own vaccines
• People receiving cancer treatment: Their immune systems are working extra hard fighting cancer, so they need our Community Shield to protect them

In Our Schools and Workplaces:

When vaccination rates are high in schools, children miss 40% fewer days due to illness. That means more time learning, playing with friends, and enjoying childhood. For working parents, it means fewer days off work worrying about sick children.

Our Healthcare Heroes and Community Champions:

Our local GPs, nurses, hospital staff, and care workers are on the front lines. When healthcare workers are vaccinated, they're 70% less likely to pass infections to the patients they're caring for.

But it's not just hospital staff – care workers who look after elderly people in their homes, volunteers at community centres, and support workers for people with disabilities are also essential parts of our Community Shield. They visit multiple homes each day, so protecting them protects everyone they help.

People Who Keep Our Community Running:

Think about all the people you meet during a normal week:

• Shop workers at supermarkets, pharmacies, and local stores who serve hundreds of customers daily
• Public transport drivers who help people get around safely
• Teachers and school staff who work with large groups of children
• Restaurant and café workers who prepare food and serve the community
• Delivery drivers who bring essential supplies to our doors
• Volunteers at food banks, community events, and charity shops

These community champions have more contact with people than most of us, which means they're more likely to catch viruses – but also more likely to accidentally spread them if they're not protected. When they're vaccinated, they become part of our Community Shield, protecting everyone they serve.

The Ripple Effect and Big Gatherings:

Every person vaccinated creates a ripple effect. One vaccinated person can prevent infection in 2-3 others around them. But this becomes even more important when we think about big gatherings.

Picture Cornwall's summer festivals, Christmas markets, school sports days, or even busy Saturday shopping in Launceston town centre. When lots of people come together, viruses can spread quickly – like how one person yawning can make everyone else yawn, but much more serious!

Research shows that just one unvaccinated person with flu at a large gathering can infect 10-15 others, who then go home and spread it to their families. But when most people are vaccinated, that same gathering might see zero new infections.

As well as improving population health, every additional vaccination is a potential illness averted, or life saved.

Think about that for a moment – your decision to get vaccinated could be the difference between someone's grandparent staying healthy or ending up in hospital. It could mean a child doesn't miss weeks of school, or a parent doesn't have to take time off work to care for a sick family member.

Launceston and surrounding areas with around 18,000 people, reaching 75% vaccination coverage could prevent over 400 serious illnesses and potentially save 10-20 lives this winter alone. That's like preventing illness in an entire primary school, or saving enough lives to fill a local football / rugby team.

How Vaccines Work (The Science Made Simple)

Vaccines teach your body's immune system (think of it as your personal bodyguard) how to recognise and fight off specific viruses. It's like showing your bodyguard a photo of someone to watch out for. When the real virus tries to make you sick, your immune system already knows exactly what to do.

The best part? Modern vaccines are incredibly safe. You're much more likely to be struck by lightning than to have a serious reaction to a vaccine. And even if you do feel a bit tired or have a sore arm afterwards, that just means your immune system is doing its job – like a muscle getting stronger after exercise.

What's Happening in Our Local Hospitals?

Our local NHS teams are working incredibly hard to keep everyone healthy. This winter, NHS staff will administer nearly 18 million flu vaccinations across England – that's like vaccinating every person in Australia!

But when vaccination rates are low, our local hospitals in Cornwall get busier with people who could have avoided getting seriously ill. Recent data shows that flu hospital admissions doubled in some weeks when vaccination coverage was inadequate. Meanwhile, pneumonia admissions increased by 16% compared to the previous year, representing over 250,000 hospital stays that put pressure on our healthcare system.

The good news? Where vaccination programmes are strong, we see real results. The RSV vaccine programme has already cut hospital admissions by 30% in vaccinated older adults, and shingles vaccines are protecting thousands from this painful condition that affects 1 in 4 people.

This means longer waits for everyone when people aren't vaccinated, and more stress on our amazing healthcare workers who are also our neighbours and friends.

How You Can Help Build Our Community Shield

If you're eligible for vaccines:

• Flu vaccine: Available to all children aged 2-17, adults over 65, pregnant women, and those with certain health conditions
• COVID-19 booster: For over 75s and those at higher risk
• RSV vaccine: New this year for those turning 75
• Pneumonia vaccine: For over 65s and those with certain medical conditions
• Shingles vaccine: For those turning 65 and 70, over 18 yrs if at higher risk (immunocompromised)
• Book your appointment at your local GP surgery
• If you're scared of needles, that's completely normal! Talk to the nurse –

they're experts at making it as comfortable as possible.

Private Flu vaccinations can also be arranged for people not eligible—speak to the local community pharmacists or your GP practice about them

If you're too young for certain vaccines:

• Encourage your parents, grandparents, and older friends to get theirs
• Share accurate information about vaccines (not scary stories from social media)
• Help elderly neighbours by offering to drive them to appointments.

Everyone can:

• Keep washing hands regularly
• Cover coughs and sneezes
• Stay home when feeling unwell
• Be kind to those who are more vulnerable to illness
• Special thanks to our community champions: If you work in shops, care homes, schools, transport, or anywhere with lots of public contact, your vaccination protects not just you, but everyone you serve
• Support local businesses whose staff are helping keep our Community Shield strong.

The Launceston Challenge: Living "Onen hag oll"

Here's a special challenge for everyone in the Launceston area: let's be the first part of Cornwall to reach that magical 75% vaccination rate! Imagine if our town became famous not just for its historic castle and beautiful countryside, but for being the place that showed how communities can work together to keep everyone healthy.

We can do this by talking to our neighbours, supporting our local GP practices, and making vaccination a normal part of staying healthy – just like eating well and exercising.

True to our Cornish motto "Onen hag oll" – when we protect one, we protect all.

Looking Forward

Building our Community Shield isn't just about this winter – it's about creating a culture where we all look out for each other.

Your vaccination isn't just about keeping you protected– it's your contribution to keeping our whole community safe, healthy, and thriving.

Let's work together to protect what matters most – each other.

Call us to book your seasonal vaccines today.

About the Author: Dr. Amit Dhulkotia Launceston GP Partner & Long Term Conditions Lead for Cornwall Integrated Care Board, working to improve health outcomes for communities across Cornwall.