More children than ever before will be eligible for a free nasal flu vaccination across Cambridgeshire, Peterborough, Norfolk and Suffolk.

The School Immunisation Service at Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust, which delivers vaccinations to pupils across Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and Peterborough, successfully vaccinated more than 33,000 school-age children – those eligible in school years one and two – last year.

This year’s national campaign also includes children in year three, with the service expecting to deliver more than 45,000 vaccinations over the next three months

Nicky Srahan, School Age Immunisation Service Lead, said: “Research following the Swine Flu pandemic a number of years ago showed that children are ‘super-spreaders’!

“The NHS then decided to expand its flu vaccination programme to gradually include all children under 17; this year it will cover those aged from two-years-old up to year three in school.

“The school vaccination programme is delivered by trained nurses and is a nasal spray delivered via a squirt up each nostril. It is quick and painless with very few side-effects - some children may have a blocked or runny nose which may last a few days.

“The campaign aims to protect the child, the entire family and the wider community from an unpleasant and sometimes serious illness, as a protected child helps to reduce the transmission of flu to friends and family.”

The School Immunisation Service will be delivering the nasal flu vaccine to children in Years One, Two and Three. Children aged between two and four on August 31^st 2016, including those currently in Reception Year, will receive the vaccination through their GP Surgery. The team also delivers vaccines to children who are homeschooled or in special schools across the region. 

Not all children are recommended to receive the nasal spray vaccine, including those with a severely weakened immune system, severe egg allergy, severe asthma or an allergy to any of the vaccine ingredients. These children may be able to receive the injectable flu vaccine instead. In these cases, parents are recommended to consult with their GP. 

For more information about the Child Flu Vaccination campaign, visit: www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/pages/child-flu-vaccine