Flu vaccine offered to all two and three-year-olds

All children in Orkney who were two or three years old on the September 1 will be offered a yearly flu vaccine.

Nearly 420 children aged two or three years old can now be vaccinated and parents will be sent an invitation. Any parent who thinks that their child is eligible but who has not received an invitation by October 15 should contact their GP practice.

Over the next few years, there will be a full roll-out of the programme and all children 2-17 year olds will be vaccinated.

Dr Ken Black, consultant in public health medicine and immunisation co-ordinator for NHS Orkney said: “In most cases the flu vaccine is given as a quick and painless nasal spray into each nostril. It’s only a tiny amount of spray so there’s no need to breathe in or sniff. It is not an injection and the vaccine will be given at your GP practice.

“In addition to children aged two or three, we will have a flu immunisation programme running through to the end of the year for children whose date of birth is between March 1, 2003, and February 28, 2005.”

Further Information about the Flu Immunisation Programme and Fluenz (the vaccine) can be found at Immunisation Scotland’s website www.immunisationscotland.org.uk and NHS Health Scotland’s website www.healthscotland.com.