Nasal Flu Vaccine

[Ju5tAgirlstandinginfrontofaboy]

My Dd is due to receive the nasal flu vaccine in the morning.
I have only just (via another thread on here) found out that it is a live vaccine with the potential to spread?
I have a week old baby at home. Should I cancel her treatment? I'm so so worried about what the best thing to do is here....

[Ju5tAgirlstandinginfrontofaboy]

Hoping someone is around who might be able to help?

[Ju5tAgirlstandinginfrontofaboy]

Anyone??

[fernandoanddenise]

Is it through school? You could cancel then rebook at the GP and ask them to clarify.
People on here aren’t doctors. They’re not the best people to inform on vaccines etc. Get some proper reassurance.

[GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat]

The info with the consent form would have told you the answer.

I’ve googled it instead for you.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/child-flu-vaccine/

[Ju5tAgirlstandinginfrontofaboy]

@GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat thank you for your help.
I did already read this but I'm unsure as to shedding in relation to such a small baby....

[Sidge]

@fernandoanddenise rebooking at the GP may not be an option. I work in primary care and we are not able to give nasal flu vaccine to primary school children. School immunisation teams are funded to supply and deliver the flu vaccine programme to them, we are not so we don’t have enough vaccine and cannot give it. They have to receive it in school.

I appreciate it may vary between areas but it’s not that straightforward to suggest just go to the GPs.

OP shedding isn’t a high risk for a healthy baby, but encourage your child to use tissues for sneezes, and wash their hands thoroughly.

[Ju5tAgirlstandinginfrontofaboy]

Thank you @Sidge that's really reassuring. Even at only one week old? Xx

[Ju5tAgirlstandinginfrontofaboy]

I will of course take advice in the morning but I was just looking for advice to settle my mind one way or another tonight. I am full of hormones and deprived of sleep and terrified of my little one getting seriously poorly and just trying to weigh up the best course of action

[minesadecaf]

It's not a live vaccine!!

[furryelephant]

I administer the flu vaccine in schools and our documentation states that the only family member etc that it could pose a risk to are close family members who are undergoing chemotherapy and requiring isolation- it doesn't say anywhere to exclude children with small siblings so I would think it is fine

[DoctorAllcome]

While it IS a live vaccine, it is attenuated which means it has been massively weakened. The new nasal spray is actually even safer & more effective than the old nasal spray was. Anyone with a normal immune system is NOT at risk of coming down with the flu due to receiving the nasal spray vaccine or any viral shedding from others who have just had the spray vaccine.

It is only those who have poor immune systems from long term chronic conditions, being a newborn or taking immune system suppressing medications like steroids that are at risk and should not 1) get the nasal spray vaccine for themself or 2) be around anyone who has for the first 48hrs after the spray UNLESS they themselves have had the flu shot at least a couple weeks beforehand. Most people in this category get the injected flu vaccine and it is a matter of timing more than anything.

The NHS webpage states:
“Flu vaccine for people with medical conditions

The injected flu vaccine is offered free of charge on the NHS to anyone with a serious long-term health condition, including:

chronic (long-term) respiratory diseases, such as asthma (that requires an inhaled or tablet steroid treatment, or has led to hospital admission in the past), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema or bronchitis
chronic heart disease, such as heart failure
chronic kidney disease
chronic liver disease, such as hepatitis
chronic neurological conditions, such as Parkinson's disease, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), a learning disability or cerebral palsy
diabetes
problems with your spleen – for example, sickle cell disease or if you have had your spleen removed
a weakened immune system as the result of conditions such as HIV and AIDS, or medicines such as steroid tablets or chemotherapy
being seriously overweight (a BMI of 40 or above)
This list of conditions is not definitive. It's always an issue of clinical judgement.

A GP can assess you to take into account the risk of flu making any underlying illness you may have worse, as well as your risk of serious illness from flu itself.

The vaccine should always be offered in such cases, even if you're not technically in 1 of the risk groups.

If you live with someone who has a weakened immune system, you may also be advised to have a flu vaccine.

Speak to a GP or pharmacist about this.”

So, OP speak to your GP about your DD getting the flu jab instead of spray.

[DoctorAllcome]

Sorry for long post there.,wanted to quote the NHS page for you.

Like Sidge said, the shedding is very very low risk even for people with poor immune systems. If your newborn is healthy and breastfed the risk is negligible. Good hygiene for the week after the nasal spray on the part of your DD will make a difference too.

I don’t think you’d need to rebook the GP if you are already booked in for nasal spray flu vaccine, they will have stocks of the shot and can give that instead. A nurse can administer both types. If anything, the nurse can call the GP on the spot.

The main reason why the nasal spray vaccine exists is because it is cheaper to produce, store and administer than the injected vaccine. It’s the best way to get the most people vaccinated within a limited budget. But it’s recognized it’s not for everyone so don’t feel awkward about asking for the shot version so they can do a clinical assessment of your situation.

[Ju5tAgirlstandinginfrontofaboy]

Thanks so much @DoctorAllcome and @furryelephant
Just reporting back on what happened. I called the GP for advice and he didn't want to comment on it, asked me to speak to the nurse. She didn't want to comment as she wasn't the one giving the vaccine so couldn't be accurate. She advised to seek advice from the midwife. The midwife didn't want to comment as she didn't know much about it.
I contacted the company administering the vaccine. They called back to say they didn't think it would be a risk to baby but if I'm worried we can have DD vaccinated when they come back in a few weeks and the baby is a bit older and I'm more settled in myself from worries and hormones.
I informed the school that I was worried that my daughter might pick up from her class mates 'shedding' and infect her tiny brother so keeping her home today and tomorrow, they are off next week. Thankfully the school were okay about it. I know it's not ideal, I do realise that but I'm just trying to do my best to protect my family while I'm a bag of hormones and worries.

[TinyBean]

The flu vax (whether nasal or injected) don't seem to be particularly effective anyway, so no guarantee it will protect your dd even if she has it, therefore I wouldn't worry too much about her not having it...Do what's best for the baby. Well done for asking questions. Interesting to know how little the people peddling it know about it. 😨

[chinateapot]

I have one daughter on chemotherapy. Advice to us from the oncology team was that obviously she shouldn’t have the live nasal vaccine and needed injection instead but that my other daughter could have nasal spray with no restrictions. I’ve done some reading and it looks as though the risk of shedding and transmission is theoretical only - no recorded cases - so precautions are based on that and only for the most severely immunosuppressed e.g. those post bone marrow transplant still in isolation.

[V1k678]

minesdecaf It IS a live vaccine. Weakened but live.

[V1k678]

I have requested my DS has the injection, which is inactivated because we care for my f-I-L who has weak immunity. The school can offer both, you just have to request it in advance.