HELP PROTECT YOUR CHILD FROM FLU – IT’S SAFE AND PAINLESS

With autumn well underway and coughs, colds and flu already starting to circulate, Great Yarmouth and Waveney CCG is urging parents of children between the ages of two and seven to make sure their child has their flu nasal vaccination.

The nasal spray vaccination is available free on the NHS. It’s quick, effective and painless and available to children aged 2-4 years, as well as those in school years one and two.

The vaccination is given by squirting a single dose of nasal spray up each nostril.  Not only is it needle-free, it works even better than the injected flu vaccine with fewer side effects.

It’s important to protect your children   The vaccination is the best protection against what is an unpredictable virus.  It can cause severe illness and can even be fatal amongst those with a health condition, or the elderly.  The vaccine will protect your child, and those they come into contact with, against the flu virus.

Dr Abhijit Bagade, Public Health Consultant said: “Flu can be a very unpleasant illness in children.  They suffer the same symptoms as adults including fever, chills and aching muscles.  Some children may develop complications such as bronchitis, pneumonia and painful middle ear infection which may need hospital treatment.  In serious a child may even die from .

“We know that children easily spread germs through bad hygiene, such as sneezing everywhere and not washing their hands properly.  Vaccinating your child will not only protect them but also help to reduce the chance of flu spreading to others, especially amongst the vulnerable, such as babies, older people, pregnant women and people with serious long-term illnesses, even one that is well managed.  Primary school pilots using the vaccine have proved very effective in preventing the spread of flu in the wider community.”

If you have children aged two, three or four, or in school years one and two, don’t put off taking up their free flu vaccination.

You should have already been contacted by your GP about getting your child vaccinated before the winter.  If you don’t hear anything or you want more information about when and how your child will be vaccinated talk to your GP or practice nurse.

Children in school years one and two will be offered flu vaccination as part of the NHS childhood vaccination programme.

For more information about vaccines and the alternatives that may be available, visit: https://www.gov.uk

For more information visit www.nhs.uk/

or search for #StayWellThisWinter on social media

 

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Notes:

• Flu vaccinations are currently offered free of charge to the following ‘at-risk’ groups:

• those aged 65 years and over

• those aged six months to under 65 with a serious medical condition, such as:
  1. chronic (long-term) respiratory , such as severe asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or bronchitis
  2. chronic heart disease, such as heart failure
  3. chronic kidney disease at stage three, four or 5
  4. chronic liver disease
  5. chronic neurological disease, such as Parkinson’s disease or motor neurone disease
  6. diabetes
  7. splenic dysfunction
  8. a weakened immune system due to disease (such as HIV/AIDS) or treatment (such as cancer treatment)
• pregnant women
• all two, three and four-year-olds (on 31 August 2015)
• all children of school years 1 and 2 age:
• Year 1 school age: , rising to  (i.e. date of birth between 1st September 2009 and on or before 31st August 2010)
• Year 2 school age: , rising to 7 years olds (i.e. date of birth between 1st September 2008 and on or before 31st August 2009)
• primary school-aged children in areas that previously participated in primary school pilots in 2014/15
• those in long-stay residential care homes
• carers

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