WENDY BUNDY considers herself to be fit, healthy and full of energy.

Yet the 57-year-old, who suffers from mild allergic asthma, still makes sure that she has her flu jab every year to prevent her catching the debilitating virus.

Flu affects people of all ages, mainly during the winter months. It usually starts suddenly with fever, chills, headache, aching muscles and a cough or other respiratory symptoms.

While most healthy people can shrug off a bout of flu within a week or two, there are some people who will suffer more serious effects.

These include people aged over 65 and those who fall into the high risk category - people with underlying respiratory, heart or renal disease, diabetes, and those with impaired immune systems.

Complications such as bronchitis and pneumonia are more common in these high-risk groups', especially if they are also elderly, and deaths from flu are almost entirely in these groups.

Mrs Bundy is chairman of Selby and York Primary Care Trust (PCT), which is hoping to raise awareness of the importance of the annual flu jab, and she knows what flu means for her.

She said: "I'm asthmatic, so if I get flu I get bronchitis which then adds to the risk of asthma.

"I'm very fit and very healthy and I have bags of energy, but even so it's just not worth the risk.

"Especially because there is a prevention - and an easy prevention."

Mrs Bundy suffered from flu before she began her annual immunisation.

She said: "Catching the flu if you have asthma makes you feel wheezy for a long time, it hangs around for ages and makes you feel very debilitated.

"Many people think that a cold is part of flu, but flu hits you much more violently. Most people can have a cold and get on with their life.

"It's only when you get flu you realised how serious an experience it can be."

The flu jab can be administered free of charge by your GP or practice nurse. Pregnant women and those with a serious egg allergy should seek further advice.

For more information speak to your GP, practice nurse, health visitor or district nurse, or phone NHS Direct on 0845 4647.

Updated: 10:05 Thursday, December 11, 2003