THOUSANDS of pregnant women and their unborn babies are at risk of developing serious complications from flu this winter because they have not had a free vaccine.

Figures show just one quarter of the 7,167 women in Sussex eligible for the flu jab have had it since the campaign was launched in the autumn.

Brighton and Hove has a take up rate of 26.8%, while the lowest rate, 22.9% was recorded in the Eastbourne, Hailsham and Seaford catchment area.

Crawley had the highest rate at 30.4% but this is still too low and health bosses are urging people to make sure they take advantage of the jab.

People aged 65 and over, very young children and people with long term health problems that put them at risk, such as heart disease, lung disease, asthma and other respiratory problems, or diabetes, are also eligible for the vaccine.

Take up rates among pensioners in Sussex is higher at 52.2% but the at-risk group is also low at 31.3%.

Public Health England (PHE) is calling on people not to “put off” getting the vaccination and wait until flu is circulating more widely to come forward.

For most healthy people, flu is an unpleasant but usually self-limiting disease with recovery taking up to a week.

However, it can be a serious problem for the vulnerable and can lead to dangerous complications or even death.

PHE head of seasonal flu surveillance, Richard Pebody, said: “People with certain long-term health conditions are at much greater risk of becoming seriously unwell if they catch flu and sadly, many end up in hospital.

“The best way people can protect themselves from flu is to take up the offer of free vaccination from their GP as soon as it becomes available.

“It’s not too late to get vaccinated, and we urge anyone who is eligible but hasn’t yet received their free flu vaccination to contact their GP.”