Flu jabs back on for primary pupils
Supplies of vaccine are expected
NHS Forth Valley hopes to be able to vaccinate P4-P7 children against flu within the next few weeks.
The health board has announced it is expecting more vaccine to become available in the next few weeks allowing them to put additional clinics in place in December.
Last week, the health board revealed they were having to delay vaccinations for children in P4-P7 due to a nationwide shortage of the children’s nasal spray flu vaccine.
A national adult vaccination programme which uses a different flu vaccine has not been affected.
NHS Forth Valley followed Scottish Government advice to prioritise its vaccination programme for children as a result of the UK-wide shortage of Fluenz Tetra children’s nasal spray vaccines.
Their vaccination programme got underway at the start of October and was 35 per cent complete before the decision to postpone vaccines for children in P4-P7 was made.
This week, neighbouring NHS Fife, which also took the decision to cancel flu vaccines for P4-P7s, announced it was now going to include P4s in its current programme.
A spokeswoman for NHS Forth Valley said: “We are in the process of arranging flu vaccination clinics for P4 – P7 children which should start in December. Meantime, any child in this age group with a health condition which means they are at greater risk of flu can still get vaccinated at their GP surgery.”
Children aged five to 17 with underlying health conditions, as well as younger children aged two to five and in P1-P3, have been prioritised and have not been affected by the shortage.
The spokeswoman added: “The national childhood flu vaccination programme began in Forth Valley at the beginning of October and many children have already received their vaccination. Due to a UK-wide issue affecting the supply of the nasal flu vaccine for children, the Scottish
Government has asked NHS boards to prioritise current stocks of the vaccine for children at greatest risk from the flu virus. This includes two-five year olds who receive the vaccine at GP practices and children aged five to17 with underlying health conditions.
“The school flu vaccination programme in Forth Valley is continuing and, like a number of other NHS boards, we are focusing on children in P1– P3 for the next few weeks. Older children with underlying health conditions are able to get vaccinated at their GP practice and arrangements are in place to offer the vaccine to children in P4 – P7 once more supplies become available.’’