Our senior physician, Dr. Laurence Gerlis, was interviewed today by Julia Hartley-Brewer on Talk Radio about the NHS’ plan to extend the children’s flu vaccine campaign to all 2–7 year olds in order to prevent a flu epidemic this winter. It was agreed that this was a good idea, although we have not had a serious flu epidemic for several years. SameDayDoctor offers flu vaccines as well as travel vaccines against Hepatitis A and B, Typhoid, Yellow Fever, Japanese Encephalitis, Diphtheria, Tetanus, Polio, Rabies, Chicken Pox, Pneumococcus, TB (Mantoux and BCG), Whooping Cough, a full range of vaccines, and anti malaria treatment. We also have a specialist BabyJabs vaccination Clinic in the City.
Flu vaccination is available every year on the NHS to help protect adults and children at risk of flu and its complications.
Flu can be unpleasant, but if you are otherwise healthy, it will usually clear up on its own within a week.
The flu vaccine is routinely given by the NHS to:
-
- adults 65 and over
- people with certain medical conditions (including children in at-risk groups from 6 months of age)
- pregnant women
- children aged 2 and 3
- children in reception class and school years 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5
For 2018, there are 3 types of flu vaccines:
-
- a live quadrivalent vaccine (which protects against four strains of flu) given as a nasal spray; this is for children and young people aged 2 to 17 years eligible for the flu vaccine.
- a quadrivalent injected vaccine; this is for adults aged 18 and over but below the age of 65 who are at increased risk from flu because of a long-term health condition, and for children 6 months and older in an eligible group who cannot receive the live vaccine.
- an adjuvated quarivalent injected vaccine; this is for people aged 65 and over, as it has been shown to be more effective in this age group.
If your child is aged between 6 months and 2 years old and is in a high-risk group, they will be offered an injected flu vaccine, as the nasal spray is not licensed for children under 2.
Visit the nearest GP and talk to a practice nurse or pharmacist for more information about these vaccines.