With young people across Ayrshire heading back to school, NHS Ayrshire & Arran is urging parents and carers to ensure their child is protected against flu this winter.
The vaccine will be offered to the following groups:
- all school aged pupils (primary and secondary),
- all children aged 2-5 and not yet in school, and
- children aged 6 months to 2 years old with a condition that puts them at increased risk of flu.
Home educated children and those of school age, but not attending mainstream education, are also eligible.
Flu can be very serious for children – between 1 October 2024 and 31 March 2025, 1,874 children spent time in hospital with flu in Scotland.
The flu vaccine is offered as a painless nasal spray to almost all children. It cannot give your child flu but starts to provide protection against flu within 10-14 days. The nasal spray provides the best possible protection for children and young people and can also stop flu spreading to family, friends and others, especially those most at risk of becoming seriously ill with flu. Children aged 2 to 5 are being offered vaccination from the start of the programme to ensure they receive the earliest protection and prevent the virus spreading.
Appointment letters for children 6 months to 2 years at risk will start arriving at homes from this week, and letters for those aged 2 to 5 not yet in school will either start arriving at homes by post or in nursery bags, with details of where and when the vaccine will be given.
Parents and carers should call the number on their child’s letter if they need to reschedule or if their child has missed their appointment for whatever reason.
For school-aged children, consent forms and further information will be sent home to parents and carers. Secondary pupils can self-consent but are encouraged to speak to a parent or carer first. All primary and secondary school pupils with consent to be given the flu vaccine nasal spray will receive this at school with vaccine teams visiting between September through to December 2025.
NHS Ayrshire & Arran Public Health Director Lynne McNiven said:
“The flu virus changes every year. This means that it’s important for children to get an annual vaccination, so that they have the most up to date protection. Getting your child vaccinated against flu can also protect them from getting serious bacterial infections that can sometimes follow flu, preventing them from getting sick and missing out on nursery, school or other activities.
“Look out for your child’s appointment letter by post or a consent form in their nursery/school bag. Please make sure that you complete and return the consent form to their nursery/school to ensure they get the vital protection this year’s flu vaccine offers.”