Dr Aparna Keegan
Consultant in Public Health Medicine, HSE National Immunisation Office
As we head into winter, it is important that children are protected from the flu. Flu can be dangerous in children, especially the younger ones. The nasal spray flu vaccine will give children the best protection from flu.
Children aged 2 to 12 will be able to get the free nasal spray flu vaccine from participating GPs and pharmacies from October. HSE teams will also be visiting schools to offer the vaccine to senior infants.
Children are twice as likely to catch flu as adults
Flu is highly infectious, and anyone can catch the virus. However, we know that children are twice as likely to catch the flu as adults and can be very sick with flu. Younger children, in particular, are at an increased risk of serious illness.
While most children who catch the flu have mild symptoms, it can sometimes lead to serious problems such as pneumonia or bronchitis. Children, especially younger children, are also more likely than adults to develop severe complications of flu.
Approximately 1 in 10 children under
the age of 15 attend their GP with
flu-like illness in a typical flu season.
Symptoms and consequences of flu in children
Common symptoms of flu in children include high temperature, muscle pains, headache and fatigue. We tend to see the highest incidence rates in younger children. Approximately 1 in 10 children under the age of 15 attend their GP with flu-like illness in a typical flu season. Children who are sick with flu, even with mild symptoms, can miss days in crèche, childcare and school. They can also miss out on their usual hobbies and sports.
Safe, easy and pain-free vaccine
Getting the nasal spray flu vaccine is a safe, easy and pain-free way to protect your child from flu this winter. The vaccinator will give the nasal flu vaccine by spraying it once into each of the child’s nostrils.
The nasal spray flu vaccine helps your child’s immune system produce antibodies that fight infection. It cannot give your child the flu. If your child has had the flu vaccine, and they come into contact with a flu virus, these antibodies will help them fight the flu and reduce the risk of them getting sick or needing to go to the hospital.
For more information, visit hse.ie/flu