Children’s flu vaccine – 2024/25

Children’s flu vaccine – 2024/25

Available from September 2024 at Waddesdon Surgery

The children’s flu vaccine helps protect against flu. It’s offered to children aged 2 to 3 years and children with certain long-term health conditions at Waddesdon Surgery (school-aged children (Reception to Year 11) will be invited through schoolprogramme)

Why children are offered the flu vaccine

Flu can be very unpleasant for children and can sometimes cause serious problems, such as pneumonia.

Each winter in the UK, thousands of children who do not have a health condition need hospital care because of flu.

Children can catch and spread flu easily. Vaccinating them also helps protect others who are at higher risk of getting seriously ill from flu, such as babies, anyone who’s pregnant and older people.

Who should have the children’s flu vaccine at their GP Surgery ?

The children’s flu vaccine is offered on the NHS every year in autumn or early winter.

It’s recommended for:

Children who are aged 2 or 3 years on 31 August 2024 (born between 1 September 2020 and 31 August 2022) will get the flu vaccine at their GP surgery.

Children aged 6 months to 17 years with certain long-term health conditions

(School-aged children (Reception to Year 11) can only be vaccinated at school).

Most children are offered the nasal spray flu vaccine. It is the preferred vaccine for children aged 2 to 17 years. The children’s flu vaccine is usually given as a quick and painless nasal spray in each nostril.

Some children with certain long-term health conditions who have not had a flu vaccine before might need to have a 2nd dose 4 weeks later.

Fluenz nasal spray flu vaccine patient leaflet (Electronic Medicines Compendium website)

Getting vaccinated if your child is unwell

If your child has a high temperature, wait until they’re feeling better before having the flu vaccine.

If they have a very blocked or runny nose, they may have to wait to get the nasal spray vaccine until they’re feeling better, or they may be offered an injected flu vaccine instead.

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