Parents urged to return flu consent forms

Parents in Orkney are being urged to return their children’s flu vaccination consent form as soon as possible to ensure they are protected against flu this winter.

This year’s childhood flu vaccination programme will see over 2000 schools across Scotland offer the free nasal vaccine to more than 450,000 primary school pupils.

Health professionals are reminding parents of the benefits of the free nasal vaccine as latest figures reveal over a quarter of the children eligible didn’t receive the vaccine last year.

As no child will receive the vaccination without consent, the importance of returning a completed form, which has been sent home in school bags, has been highlighted in a bid to ensure more children in Scotland are protected.

Dr Gregor Smith, Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Scotland, said: “As always we’re urging all parents across Scotland to join the fight against flu by getting their children vaccinated as early as possible this winter.

“Getting the free nasal vaccine only takes a few minutes but can protect your child from flu for up to a year so it really is the best defence against the virus which can be extremely infectious and serious.

“Even the healthiest of children can fall seriously ill from flu so that’s why it’s so important that they get their vaccine at school so that we can help prevent the spread of the virus to family, friends and others around them.”

For guidance on completing the consent form and for more information on the childhood flu vaccine, visit www.immunisationscotland.org.uk/childflu or phone NHS Inform on 0800 22 44 88.