The HSE’s nasal spray flu vaccination programme for children starts today, October 17.
Parents are urged to protect their children from the flu with the free vaccine as we move into the winter.
Children from 2 to 17 years of age are eligible for the free nasal spray flu vaccine, which gives them the “best protection” against getting ill.
The HSE is asking parents to bring children for this vaccine, which will help protect those around them too, such as siblings, grandparents and vulnerable people.
Flu can sometimes cause serious complications in children, such as pneumonia and bronchitis. Between 2009 and 2019, the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) reported that 4,750 children needed hospital treatment as a result of complications of the flu.
183 of these children needed to be admitted to intensive care, while 41 passed away.
Parents can bring children to participating GPs and pharmacies to avail of the free vaccine, which is sprayed once into each nostril.
Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly said: “I would like to encourage all those who are eligible to get the flu vaccine to do so as soon as possible, and I would like to take this opportunity to encourage parents with children within this age range to get their children vaccinated against the flu this year.
“Not only will the flu vaccine help protect your child against flu, it will also help protect more vulnerable family members. It is important that we all do what we can to avoid serious illness and hospitalisation this winter.”
Specialist in Public Health Medicine and Flu Lead for the HSE, Dr Aparna Keegan said the nasal spray flu vaccine is a “very safe and effective” way to help children fight the infection.
“We know that children are twice as likely as adults to catch flu. Getting your child vaccinated is the best way to protect them against flu this winter, and help reduce the spread of flu to others too.
“If your child has had the flu vaccine and they come into contact with flu virus, these antibodies will help them fight the flu and reduce the risk of getting sick or needing to go to hospital,” Dr Keegan said.
For children that can’t get the nasal spray vaccine, there is a flu injection available too. These vaccines do not protect against Covid-19, but the HSE has said that it is safe to get the flu vaccine at the same time as the Covid vaccine.
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