Seasonal Advice

COVID-19 vaccination All children over 5, and children in risk groups between 6 months and 4 years should receive COVID-19 vaccinations. Click here for more information.

Flu vaccination All children six months or older at risk of serious influenza infection should receive an influenza vaccine. These include children with serious lung, heart, kidney, liver, neurological diseases as well as diabetics, morbidly obese and immunosuppressed. Live attenuated vaccines should not be given to children that are severely immune compromised, these children should receive the inactivated vaccine. In addition, the extended programme of influenza immunisation for children includes all 2-17 years old.

In those who have not been previously vaccinated, one dose of the Fluenz (2 – 17 year old) vaccine should suffice, but 2 doses of the inactive vaccines at least 4 weeks apart may be required to achieve an adequate immune response.

Anaphylaxis to vaccines is very rare. However, a confirmed anaphylactic to a previous flu vaccine is a contra-indication. Specialist advice should be sought in these patients.

Flu vaccine in children with egg allergy Latest advice from the JCVI states that children with an egg allergy, including those with previous anaphylaxis to egg can be safely be vaccinated with the life-attenuated vaccine in any setting, including primary care and schools. Egg allergic children over 9 years old with egg allergy can also be given the egg-free Flucelvax TETRA, which is licenced for this age group.

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