Winter health

The NHS 'Stay Well This Winter' campaign gives advice on keeping well during the winter months to:

those with long-term health conditions
those over 65
pregnant women
parents of under-7's

Advice to help you stay well this winter

Watch these short videos of York GPs sharing their advice on a range of common conditions:

Winter flu vaccines

If you catch flu, you're at particular risk of severe illness if you're:

an older person
very young
pregnant
suffering from underlying health conditions

You'll need a flu vaccine each year because flu viruses change from year to year. Remember, even if you don’t have flu-like symptoms, you can still pass flu on to other people.

Find out:

if you're eligible for a free flu vaccine
which GP surgeries and pharmacies offer a flu vaccine service

Watch these short videos for more information:

Eating well during winter

Make sure you:

have regular hot meals and drinks to keep warm
keep active in the home (if you can)

Visit NHS Choices for further ideas on staying healthy this winter.

Wearing warm clothes

Wrap up warm, inside and out. Layering clothing helps you stay warm as air is trapped between layers, keeping you insulated. Wearing layers of cotton or fleecy clothes is particularly effective.

If you need to go outside, wear:

shoes with a good grip
a hat or headscarf

Stay inside during a cold spell if you have heart or respiratory problems, if possible.

Wear well-fitting slippers with fleecy linings and a good grip to keep your feet warm and help prevent falls.

Keeping your home warm in winter

Stay warm to help keep yourself well during winter as cold homes can have a significant impact on your health.

If you have reduced mobility, are aged 65 or over, or have a health condition such as heart or lung disease, you should:

heat your home to at least 18oC
keep your bedroom at 18oC all night

If you're aged under 65 and healthy, you can safely heat your home to less than 18oC as long as you're comfortable.

To keep warm at night, try:

using a covered hot water bottle or electric blanket (not at the same time!)
wearing bed socks and warm night clothes

Reducing fuel bills

Find out more about:

Cold weather benefits

Find out if you can claim financial help for heating your home, including:

You’ll need to claim these benefits if you’ve not had them before, and you:

don’t get benefits or a State Pension
only get Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Child Benefit or Universal Credit
get benefits or a State Pension but live in a European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland

Supporting vulnerable people in winter

Check on vulnerable neighbours and relatives over the winter, making sure:

their house is warm enough - it should be at least 18oC, particularly if they're aged 65 and over, immobile, or have a long term illness
they're wearing enough clothing to stay warm
they have regular hot meals and drinks
they have enough medication if their GP practice is closed over the festive period

Visit these useful websites for further advice: