Advice and resources : Flu vaccine
Overview
Flu, short for 'influenza', is a common viral illness.
It is highly infectious, which means you can catch it and pass it on to others through droplets from coughing and sneezing.
You can catch flu at any time of the year, but it’s more common in colder months which is why it’s also known as seasonal flu.
Flu is unpredictable and the levels of flu activity vary each year.
Some years are much worse than others. For instance, in 2014 to 2015, a bad flu year, there were 28,000 deaths.
There are several strains of the flu virus that cause flu, and virus mutations also occur. This means you can catch flu many times because they change so often. Your body won’t have a natural resistance to the new versions
Vaccinations or 'jabs' are generally given in the autumn term before flu tends to circulate. As the flu virus can change each year, new vaccination is required each year.
About the flu vaccine
Flu can be a serious illness that leads to complications like bronchitis and pneumonia, and painful ear infections in children. Children under the age of 5 years old have the highest rate of hospital admission of any age group.
The main purpose of the programme is to help protect children themselves and to stop them spreading flu to their families and the wider community, given the role that children have in transmission of the flu virus. Those most at risk from the complications of flu (such as pregnant women, older people, and those with underlying health conditions) are also offered flu vaccination, and it is also free for anyone aged 50 years old and over this year.
This Autumn term (2023-2024) the School-aged Immunisation Service will be returning to all primary schools to offer the flu vaccine to children in years Reception to year 6. If your child does not currently attend school, they will be invited to an alternative local community venue.
All children who are aged 2 and 3 years old on 31 August 2023 will be offered a flu vaccination through general practice.
Any young person who is not in one of the eligible year groups for flu vaccination, but has an underlying health condition that puts them more at risk of flu, is eligible for a free flu vaccine from their GP practice or pharmacy.
How the flu vaccine is given
Children are offered a nasal spray. It’s quick, painless and more effective in the programme than an injected vaccine. This is because it’s easier to administer and is considered better at reducing the spread of flu to others.
There will be a few children in your school not able to have the nasal spray vaccine because of pre-existing medical conditions or treatments. They will be offered a vaccine jab either at school or through their GP.
The programme is delivered by an NHS commissioned school-age immunisation provider team. This may include nurses, healthcare support workers, administrative staff, and other professionals who specialise in the delivery of school age vaccinations.
The team give the vaccination according to nationally set standards. Staff have appropriate qualifications and training, including safeguarding training. Depending on NHS guidance, staff may need to wear personal protective equipment (PPE).
You can speak to the immunisation provider team if you have any questions on the day.
Getting a nasal spray vaccine
Watch our video to see how the vaccine nasal spray is used.
Having a vaccination with cold spray
This video shows what it's like to get a vaccination with cold spray to numb your arm.
Missed vaccinations
If your child was absent or unwell during the sessions, you will receive an email confirming that they did not receive a flu vaccine. It will have instructions explaining how to book a clinic appointment online. You can also amend and cancel using the online form.
If you were unable to complete a consent form in time and you would like your child to receive a flu vaccine, please return to our consent system at least 24 hours after the planned session date and complete a consent form.
You will receive an email with further instructions on how to book following the consent form being completed.
Consent for the flu vaccine
A consent form and information leaflet provided by the school age immunisation provider team will be used to seek parental consent.
Parents will also be provided with a contact number for the school age immunisation provider team.
Please submit the forms before the deadline.
Does GDPR change how consent needs to be obtained?
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) became UK law on 25 May 2018. No change is required to the way in which parental agreement is obtained. Schools should continue to work with the school age immunisation provider teams providing vaccinations in schools, who will provide information resources and parental consent forms.
How will the school age immunisation provider team identify the children to be vaccinated?
The team will have a list of all children with confirmed consent. They may ask the class teacher or assistant to confirm the identity of younger children in primary schools.
Who decides whether a child receives the vaccination?
Parents or guardians with parental responsibility make this decision. In primary schools, only children for whom consent has been received will be vaccinated. It is therefore worth reminding parents of the importance of completing the consent form they are sent ahead of the scheduled vaccination sessions.
In secondary schools, some older children may be sufficiently mature to provide their own consent if their parents have not returned a consent form and they express a wish to have a vaccine on the day of the session. The team will speak to the child and will be responsible for assessing the appropriateness of administering the vaccine. This will include making every effort to contact the parent to seek their verbal consent and/or an assessment of the individual child’s capacity to self-consent, where appropriate.
Can parents refuse to have their child vaccinated?
Yes. The vaccination is not mandatory.
Parents will be asked to give their informed consent for the vaccination. Older children may express a wish to have the vaccine and have the capacity to provide informed consent themselves.
Parents of older children should be encouraged to speak to their children ahead of time so that there is agreement on consent in advance of the vaccination session.
Flu vaccine FAQs
Will it be a bad flu winter this year?
We don’t know whether it will be a bad flu winter this coming year, but it is important to be prepared.
Measure to reduce COVID-19 such as handwashing, mask wearing, social distancing, and reduced international travel can also help to reduce the spread of flu.
However, there is also a risk that because flu levels have been low in the past, they could eventually become high again this winter as more people mix, and assume they don't need to prepare by taking a vaccine.
What if the vaccination session at my school is quite late in the autumn or winter?
For children who are at risk because they have an underlying health condition, it is very important that they get the flu vaccine for their own protection.
Parents can ask their child’s GP to vaccinate them rather than wait for the school session if this is what they prefer.
Can unvaccinated contacts catch flu from the nasal spray droplets or from vaccinated individuals ‘shedding’ the virus?
Viral shedding is when virus particles from someone with the virus are released, and spread to others.
The nasal spray vaccine has a good safety record and unvaccinated contacts are not at risk of catching flu from the vaccine, either by being in the same room where the flu vaccine has been given or by being in contact with a recently vaccinated individual.
Although vaccinated children are known to shed virus for a few days after their jab, it is less able to spread from person to person than the natural infection.
Children don't need to be excluded from school during the vaccination period.
The only exception may be if your child is extremely immunocompromised. For example, if they have just had a bone marrow transplant.
Is there porcine gelatine in the nasal spray?
The nasal spray contains very small amounts of porcine gelatine, which is used as a stabiliser in the vaccine.
Some people may not accept the use of porcine gelatine in medical products.
For these children, vaccines injections may be possible. Please speak to the school age immunisation provider team.
What should I do if my child becomes unwell in school after receiving the vaccination?
Please talk directly with the school age immunisation provider team if they are still at the school.
If the team has left, follow the school's policies for pupil sickness in school and contact immunisation provider team.
Helpful resources
UKHSA Secondary School Information On Flu
File size: 244 KB
UKHSA Parents And Carers Information On Flu
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