Parents urged to return flu forms

Parents of primary school children in Orkney are being urged to return the flu vaccine consent forms within seven days to ensure their child is covered from flu this autumn.

All primary school children in Orkney are being offered the vaccine as part of the flu immunisation programme for children, which was introduced last year and resulted in more Scots than ever before receiving the best defence against flu.

Parents of primary school children in Orkney are being encouraged to look out for their child’s consent form which has been sent home in their school bag, and are being asked to return it within seven days. No child can be vaccinated without parental consent. Around 400,000 primary school pupils across Scotland will be offered the free flu vaccination this autumn.

The flu vaccination is a simple nasal spray that’s quick and pain free.

With children being up to three times more likely to be ill with flu than adults, it is important to protect youngsters from the dangers of flu and reduce the risk of flu being spread to others.

The Scottish childhood flu immunisation programme, which involves the vaccine being offered to 2-11 year olds, is expected to eventually prevent an estimated additional 200 deaths per year and 1,100 hospitalisations.

Find out more about the flu vaccine for children at immunisationscotland.org.uk/childflu or call the NHS inform helpline on 0800 22 44 88.