Health chiefs urge Banburyshire parents to get their children vaccinated against flu

Parents in Banburyshire are being urged to have their young children vaccinated against the flu this winter.
A free nasal spray vaccination is available to some children in schoolsA free nasal spray vaccination is available to some children in schools
A free nasal spray vaccination is available to some children in schools

Children aged two and three can have a free, quick and painless NHS nasal spray vaccine at their GP surgery, according to Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

In addition, primary school children in Oxfordshire can have the nasal spray vaccine from the school nurse service.

Dr Ed Capo-Bianco, Clinical Locality Director at Oxfordshire CCG, said; “Flu can be serious for young children, so help protect them from the illness with one simple nasal spray. It is free, fast and painless.

"Children are also super-spreaders of the flu; by vaccinating them we can reduce the risk of transmission to frail older people and those in ‘at risk’ groups."

Dr Capo-Bianco said: “I also urge parents or carers to give consent for their child to have the nasal spray flu vaccine if they are attending primary school.”

A free NHS flu vaccine is available for people aged 65 years and over, patients aged from six months to 65 years in clinical ‘at risk’ groups (see below), pregnant women, children in primary school, people in long-stay residential care homes, carers, people in close contact with patients with impaired immune systems, social care and hospice workers who provide direct patient care and health and social care staff, employed by a registered residential care/nursing home or registered home care provider.

The free vaccine is also available to patients with a heart problem, chest complaint or breathing difficulties, including bronchitis, emphysema or severe asthma, kidney disease, lowered immunity due to disease or treatment (such as steroid medication or cancer treatment), liver disease, stroke or a transient ischaemic attack (TIA), diabetes, aneurological condition e.g. multiple sclerosis, morbid obesity (BMI over 40) and cerebral palsy or a learning disability.

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