This story was first published in digitalhealth.net
Give child ‘super-spreaders’ flu vaccine, NHS urges
Children should be given the flu vaccine before Christmas to stop them putting older relatives at risk, NHS bosses have warned.
Doctors say the virus spreads easily at schools and nurseries, putting grandparents and others - especially those with heart or lung conditions and pregnant family members - at risk of getting ill over the festive season.
The children’s flu vaccine is offered as a yearly nasal spray to young children to help protect them against flu.
Children aged two and three are able to get the vaccine free on the NHS via GP practices, while children in reception class and primary school tears one, two, three and four are also all eligible for the vaccine.
According to the latest NHS figures, just 18 per cent of school-age children have had the nasal spray immunisation.
Paul Cosford, Public Health England’s medical director, said flu causes 8,000 deaths annually in England and Wales.
He said: “The vaccine is the best protection there is against flu. The nasal spray vaccine last year reduced children's risk of flu by 65 per cent meaning they were less likely to spread it to relatives and others they come into close contact with.”
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