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FLU vaccine for toddlers

8 replies

Unicornspoopglitter · 13/01/2018 14:02

Hi

Does anyone know if the flu spray vaccine my 2 year old received a few months ago covers the strains that are in the news at the moment or should I be booking an appointment for another at the GP’s? I will call Monday for clarity but just wondered if anyone knew in the interim!

Thank you.

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EveryoneTalkAboutPopMusic · 14/01/2018 10:05

As far I know, and i could be wrong, there is only one flu vaccine available each winter and it’s just the strains that were decided would be around. The best thing you can do for your toddler is to make sure he eats well, gets some sunshine each day and use basic hygiene like washing hands before eating.

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dementedpixie · 14/01/2018 10:10

If covers the Aussie flu plus 3 other strains

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dementedpixie · 14/01/2018 10:11

Plus the injection covers Aussie flu but only 2 other strains.

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dementedpixie · 14/01/2018 10:14

Most injected flu vaccinesprotect against 3 types of flu virus:

A/H1N1– the strain of flu that caused the swine flu pandemic in 2009

A/H3N2– a strain of flu thatmainly affects the elderly and people with risk factors like a long-term health condition. In 2017/18 the vaccine will contain an A/Hong Kong/4801/2014 H3N2-like virus. (This is the one they are calling Aussie flu)

Influenza B–a strain of flu that particularly affects children. In 2017/18 the vaccine will contain B/Brisbane/60/2008-like virus

The nasal spray flu vaccine and some injected vaccines alsooffer protection against a fourth Bstrain of virus, which in 2017/18 is the B/Phuket/3073/2013-like virus.

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ButtonLoon · 14/01/2018 10:16

The nasal spray covers four flu strains: two Influenza Type A (one of which is the Aussie flu), and two Influenza Type B (one of which is the prevalent strain currently in the UK).

The adult flu jab covers three strains; it does NOT cover the influenza Type B strain currently prevalent in the UK.

Your child is as protected as he can be.

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DoItAgainBob · 14/01/2018 10:17

Yes it does. It's not the Aussie strain of flu that's causing problems here which is why the vaccine for adults isn't working as well.

The spray flu vaccine that children have covers it, so they are protected, thankfully. I work in health and we had an emergency meeting on this last week.