THE elderly in Bury are being urged to have a flu jab this winter after a study in America showed that the vaccination can halve the risk of death.

The annual health campaign to encourage the elderly and those suffering from conditions such as heart disease, kidney failure, diabetes or chronic chest problems to take up the injection gets under way later this month.

Dr Peter Elton, Bury's director or public health, said: "We were lucky last year not to have had a flu epidemic. We may not be so lucky this year, and I urge everybody aged over 65 and those who are at risk from flu, to go to their GP and get themselves immunised."

The study which took place in various states in America showed that among 286,383 people aged over 65, the flu jab roughly halved the risk of death. This meant the chances of a person dying during the winter months reduced from one in 50 to one in 100.

Dr Derek Fletcher, of Minden Medical Centre, said: "We want to protect people from flu. The flu jab works and we hope people will come and have it."

The jabs will be available from GP surgeries from the middle of this month..