As reported by The Herald, children and pregnant women in England start receiving flu vaccinations this month – with school immunisation teams in some areas offering jabs in nurseries for the first time
Expectant mothers and all children aged between two and 16 years are eligible for the vaccine in the rollout ahead of winter, with the age range expanding for those in clinical risk groups to between six months and 18 years.
Most school-aged children will receive the jabs at school – with younger children and those who miss their school or nursery session also able to get vaccinated at their GP practice or at a community clinic – while pregnant women should arrange to receive the vaccine at their scheduled maternity appointments or with their GP or pharmacy.
The “first time” move to vaccinate two to three-year-olds in nurseries in some areas is expected to be rolled out more widely, the health service said.
The NHS National Booking System also opened last week for all eligible individuals to book to receive their winter flu jabs and Covid-19 vaccinations from October 1.
From October, the flu jab is being offered to everyone aged 65 and over, under 65s in clinical risk groups, care home residents and carers, close contacts of those who are immunosuppressed, frontline social care workers and health and social care staff.
Adults aged 75 and over, older adult care home residents and people who are immunosuppressed can get the Covid-19 vaccination.
More than 300,000 hospital bed days were taken up by patients with flu last winter, which was almost double the previous winter (175,062 in 2023-24), according to NHS England.
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