Flu

Why it’s important for children to have the Flu vaccine

Flu is an unpredictable and sometimes serious virus that affects thousands of people across the UK each winter. It can make even healthy children very unwell, and in severe cases lead to hospitalisation or even death. The flu vaccine is the best protection we have against it.

Flu can be a particularly nasty illness in children, causing acute bronchitis, painful ear infections, and pneumonia. Some children may need hospital treatment, including intensive care. In 2024/2025, there were 53 child deaths in England associated by Flu.

Children under 15 are more likely than any other age group to become unwell and visit their GP or hospital with flu symptoms. Healthy children under five are especially vulnerable and are five times more likely to be admitted to hospital with flu than adults over 65. Children with long-term health conditions, such as asthma or diabetes, are at even higher risk of serious complications.

Vaccinating children not only protects them but also reduces the spread of flu in the community. Children are one of the main spreaders of the virus, vaccination helps protect those who are most at risk, including babies, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with chronic health conditions.

Flu spreads easily through coughing, sneezing, and close contact, especially in schools. Although, symptoms can seem similar to a cold; flu is usually more severe and longer lasting and makes people too unwell to carry out normal daily activities.

The nasal spray flu vaccine is quick, painless, and needle-free. It has been safely given to millions of children in the UK and around the world.

How if the flu virus spread

The flu virus spreads easily through tiny droplets and aerosols released when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes. These droplets can travel up to one metre and enter the body through the nose or mouth.

Adults can pass on the flu virus for up to 5–7 days after their symptoms begin, while children can remain infectious for 10 days or longer and may even start spreading the virus before showing any signs of illness.

Because flu spreads so quickly in crowded environments such as schools, workplaces, and care homes, outbreaks can happen rapidly. Children are among the most common transmitters of the virus within communities.

The Nasal Spray Flu Vaccine

The nasal spray flu vaccine was introduced into the National Immunisation Programme for children in 2013. It’s a quick, simple, and needle-free way to help protect your child against flu. The nasal flu vaccinations have been safely delivered to over 34 million children in the UK, over the past 12 flu seasons with no serious adverse effects.

If the nasal spray isn’t suitable for your child, an alternative flu injection may be offered instead.

Watch this short video for what to expect with the nasal flu vaccine.

Can the nasal spray give my child flu?

No! The nasal spray flu vaccine cannot cause flu. It contains a weakened form of the virus that helps the body build protection without causing illness. The vaccine has been safely used in millions of children across the UK and worldwide.

Why is the nasal spray recommended?

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has found that the nasal spray vaccine offers several benefits compared with the injected vaccine:

More effective protection, It provides higher protection in children and may help protect against flu strains that have changed (or drifted) from those in the vaccine.
Needle-free and painless, the nasal spray is quick, easy, and stress-free.
Stronger, broader immunity, Because it contains a live, weakened virus, it more closely mimics a natural infection, helping to build better long-term immune memory.

What Does “Live Vaccine” Mean?

Nasal Spray is a live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) this means it contains a very weak (attenuated) form of the flu virus.

The virus in the vaccine is specially changed so it cannot cause illness, but it still helps your body learn how to fight flu just like it would after a real infection.

Because the vaccine is given as a nasal spray, the weakened virus stays in the nose and throat area, where it’s cooler (around 25°C). It does not grow in the lungs, which keeps it safe for children.

This process helps the body build strong protection by producing:

Antibodies in the nose (to stop the virus entering)
Antibodies in the blood (to fight infection)
Immune cells that remember how to protect against flu in the future

So, while the vaccine contains a “live” virus, it’s so weak that it cannot cause flu it simply helps your child’s immune system learn to defend itself naturally

Does the Nasal Spray Contain Gelatine?

The nasal spray flu vaccine is the best protection against flu for children under 18. It helps stop the spread of flu and is quick, painless, and needle-free.

The nasal spray does contain a highly processed form of gelatine, which is used to keep the vaccine stable. However, scientific testing has shown that no pig DNA can be detected in the vaccine. This means the gelatine has been broken down so much that its original source can no longer be identified.

For families who prefer a vaccine that does not contain any porcine (pork-based) ingredients, the flu injection is available as an alternative.

If your faith or beliefs mean you would like your child to have the injection instead of the nasal spray, please complete the consent form for the flu injection only there’s no need to fill out both forms.

Side Effects of the Nasal Spray Flu Vaccine

The nasal spray flu vaccine has very few, mild side effects. Some children may experience a runny or blocked nose, mild headache, reduced appetite, or a slight temperature. These symptoms are usually short-lived (1–2 days) and can be comfortably managed with paracetamol (Calpol) if needed. Remember while the body is building up the antibodies to protect from the virus, the body is having to work a little bit harder so may cause these side effects. For most parents and children, the benefits of preventing flu, hospitalisation and complications far outweigh the small risk of side effects of a runny nose for a day or so. Remember there is a big difference between a cold and flu.

Serious side effects such as Anaphylaxis is very rare – but all nurses are trained in treating anaphylaxis if was to occur.

When will my child receive the Flu Vaccine?

Our vaccination teams visit as many schools as possible across each borough between September and December. Because there are a significant schools, some may have earlier or later visit dates.

If your child’s school is scheduled for a later date and you’d like them to receive the vaccine sooner, we also run community flu clinics throughout the flu season in every area.
Please contact your local vaccination team to book your child into one of these clinics.

We rotate school visit timetables each year to ensure that all schools are treated fairly.

Please note:

GPs do not routinely offer flu vaccinations to children unless they are in a clinical high-risk group.
The School Immunisation Service provides flu vaccinations for all school-aged children and also for home-educated children through local community clinics.

Why Do I Need to Complete a Consent Form if I Don’t Want My Child to Have the Vaccine?

We are required to offer the flu vaccine to every eligible child in each area. If we don’t receive a completed consent form or a decline, we won’t know your wishes so our team will continue to try to contact you to confirm whether you’d like your child to have the vaccine.

Completing the consent form, even if you are declining the vaccine, is the clearest way to let us know your decision. It also means you are less likely to be contacted again about the flu vaccination.

Why Are You Asking If My Child Has Had Two Doses of the MMR Vaccine?

In recent years, there have been measles outbreaks in parts of the UK, and the disease still circulates in some communities. To be fully protected against measles, mumps, and rubella, children need two doses of the MMR vaccine the first is usually given at 1 year of age, and the second before starting school (around age 3–5).

NHS England has asked immunisation teams to offer the MMR vaccine to any child who has not yet had both doses, to help protect them and prevent future outbreaks.

That’s why we ask this question to make sure every child has the opportunity to be fully protected

Why Do I Get a Consent Form Every Year?

We must offer the flu vaccine to all eligible children each year, so new consent is needed every flu season. Flu viruses constantly change, and last year’s vaccine won’t fully protect against new strains. Annual vaccination ensures your child stays protected against the latest circulating viruses.

What Happens If My Child Misses the Flu Vaccine at School?

Some schools are offered two vaccination dates, depending on the number of children in the school. If your child misses their vaccine and we’re not returning for a second visit, please contact your local Immunisation Team. They’ll be happy to book your child into a local community clinic outside of school hours. Remember your GP de snot routinely offer the flu vaccination to children unless they are within a clinical high-Risk group.

Are there children who should not receive the Nasal Spray Flu vaccine?

Asthma

Children with asthma can safely receive the nasal spray.
However, the nasal vaccine is not recommended if your child is currently having an asthma flare-up for example, if they have had increased wheezing or needed an increase use of inhalers, more so than usual in the last 72 hours. In these cases, your child will be offered the flu injection instead, so that protection is not delayed. The nurse will discuss this with you when assessing your child.

Weakened Immune System

Children who are severely immunocompromised (for example, receiving chemotherapy, or diagnosed with leukaemia or lymphoma, or taking high doses of immunosuppressant medication) should not receive the nasal spray.
They will instead be offered the injected flu vaccine for protection.
If your child lives with someone who is severely immunosuppressed and requires isolation (for example, after a bone marrow transplant), the injected vaccine is also recommended.

Minor Illness

A mild illness without fever (such as a cold) is not a reason to delay vaccination.
If your child is acutely unwell with a high temperature, vaccination may be postponed until they are fully recovered. This helps to avoid confusion between illness symptoms and vaccine side effects.

Egg Allergy

Most children with egg allergies can safely receive the nasal spray vaccine The ovalbumin content is nasal spray is less than 0.024 mcg per 0.2mlo dose.
The only exception is for those who have previously required intensive care treatment for a severe anaphylactic reaction to egg, we would not recommend the Nasal spray.

Anaphylaxis and Other Allergies

Children who have had a confirmed anaphylactic reaction to a previous flu vaccine dose or to a vaccine ingredient (other than egg) should not receive the nasal spray.

Salicylate Therapy

Children taking aspirin or salicylate medication should not receive the nasal vaccine, as there is a small risk of a rare condition called Reye’s syndrome.

There is also a flu vaccine available in the form of an injection.

The nasal flu vaccine is the best vaccine for children and young people under 18 years of age as it is more effective at stopping the spread of flu and it is painless, but it does have a highly processed form of gelatine (porcine gelatine), which is used in a range of many essential medicines. The gelatine helps to keep the vaccine viruses stable so that the vaccine provides the best protection against flu.

If your faith or beliefs mean you would prefer a vaccine that has no pork (porcine gelatine) in it, please complete the consent for the flu injection only. You do not need to complete a form for both.