Vaccination for children with egg allergy

The administration of the MMR vaccine to egg-allergic children has an excellent safety record and should be given to all egg-allergic children as a routine procedure in primary care, unless there is a history of previous reaction to the vaccine.

The traces of egg protein found in MMR vaccine are too small to represent a risk.

[1] The Department of Health (Immunisations against infectious diseases – “Green book” (2006)

[2] British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology (BSACI) (2007)

[3] Department of Health / British National Formulary (BNF) (2008)

All children at risk of serious influenza infection should receive an influenza vaccine. In addition, the extended programme of influenza immunisation for children will involve all 2-4 year old children as well as those in school years 1-5.

The Green Book recommendations (in 2018) are:

• Children with a history of severe anaphylaxis to egg which has previously required intensive care, should be referred for immunisation in hospital
• All other children with an egg allergy can be safely vaccinated with Fluenz Tetra® in any setting (including primary care and schools)
• Those with both egg allergy and clinical risk factors that contraindicate Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine (e.g. severe immunosuppression, pregnancy or salicylate therapy) should be offered an inactivated flu vaccine with very low ovalbumin content (≤0.12 μg/mL). These include:
  • Fluarix^TM Tetra
  • Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine (split virion, inactivated)

This information is summarised on the DOH webpages and can be reached by searching for ‘which flu vaccine should children have?