A Press Release today from the UK Health Security Agency announced that the annual children’s flu vaccination programme has been launched and parents will start receiving invites from next week.
The programme is for children aged 2-3 years, school age children and children over 6 months with certain health conditions.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and NHS England are calling on parents to make sure children’s consent forms are completed, and that eligible pre-schoolers are booked in for appointments at the GP practice, to help halt the spread of flu this autumn and winter.
Over 8 million children in reception to year 11 will be offered the free nasal spray flu vaccine, delivered in schools by immunisation teams up and down the country. Children aged 2 and 3 years (on or before 31 August) are eligible for the free nasal spray via their GP practice.
Children aged between 6 months and 2 years with a long-term health condition that makes them at higher risk from flu will be offered a flu vaccine injection instead of the nasal spray. This is because the nasal spray is not licensed for children aged under 2 years.
Read the full Press Release