No flu vaccine provision for 17 years olds/children in Year 12

[Magicpaintbrush]

I have been struggling to get my dd vaccinated for flu. She is 16, nearly 17 years old and in year 12 at school. School provide vaccines up to Year 11. I cannot get her a private vaccination via a local pharmacy or similar because they all state the recipient must be over the age of 18 - this has been the response everywhere. I went to our GP and was told no, there is no NHS entitlement for your child to have a flu vaccine. So, in a nutshell, there is no provision at all either through the NHS or privately - I would be happy to pay, but she is too young. Her dad is currently having chemotherapy and is very vulnerable, so we partly wanted to protect dd but also protect my dh, but everywhere I go I hit a wall. Nobody will do it.

AIBU to think it is pretty shit that children of this age group have no flu vaccination provision (unless they themselves are clinically vulnerable/immunocompromised). That is about 600,000 young people in England who cannot get vaccinated because they fall into this weird no-mans-land where there is no provision for them. Or at least not in my area (North Kent). Not only does it leave them unprotected but there is less herd immunity because they are then potential spreaders of the virus?? Has anybody else had better success than I have finding a vaccine for their 17 year old, because I keep being told no, no matter where I enquire.

Have you tried Boots? I had my flu jab there and enquired about whether I could book for my 16 year old (Y12) and they said yes.

Thank you, I will try Boots, probably the only place I haven't been yet.

Tesco pharmacy did my 16yo sons. Think they will vaccinate age 12 and up but if under 16yo need a parent with them.

Yes Boots do, but not all pharmacies, as they need a specially trained pharmacist to vaccinate under 18s. So you may need to contact a couple of branches to find one.

I just checked Asda. It's 12 years or over and £14 something. Hope you get this sorted op. I think you have been unlucky in the places you tried which would have stressed me out no end!

Definitely not too young for a pharmacy - Boots amd Superdrug will both vaccinate from 16. My y11 had it privately after missing the school ones.

I had difficulty this year, I get the flu vac and dc3 gets the flu vac for medical reasons. But couldn't get dc2 vaccinated. However I complained to the local nhs board as my dc is registered with the council as a carer and carers are entitled to a vaccination. The children's vaccination service agreed and dc went along to a catch up clinic (full of toddlers)! Can you request as a young carer?
Also when my dc1 lived at home (who is immunocompromised) we all got it on the nhs (dc consultant wrote a letter to gp and requested this). Is that an option?
Its very frustrating and I seem to have had issues the last few years because of changing rules etc.

Some boots do it - mine have been done at 16/17 in our local store- can’t remember how much it was. They still go there as adults!

I have often wondered why it stops at year 11, especially if they are at sixth form/college IMO it should continue to Year 13.

Glad there are places that will vaccinate privately. Local to me, however, everywhere is out of stock for private jabs!

My 17yr old got vaccinated at Tescos recently - £16.

But yes, I agree, if they regocnise the importance of vaccinating school children it should continue all the way through to the Sixth Form.

My 17yo in yr 13 has never been entitled to the flu spray at school. Its always been up to the year below him. I didn't realise that pharmacies were validating under 18s.

A relative of mine has a health condition so most of the kids in the family get the flu jab at pretty much any pharmacy. Has to be the jab, not spray because it contains dead virus.

It's crazy that they think it's a good idea to vaccinate a school child age 15 but not a school child age 16/17! It only dawned on me last week that my 16 year old (in 6th form at the same school hes been at since age 11), wasnt going to get the vaccine. I would have booked him in at Boots a couple of months ago if I had known.

Boots and Tesco do them but need a parent to be with them. DS got his from boots but DH had to go with

Your GP practice should do it, your child as a household contact of an immunocompromised person makes them eligible. Get a message directly through to the nurse and ask to speak to her/ or for her to check her PGD. Don’t rely on the receptionist interpreting the rules. Practice nurse.

Have had both mine done privately at Boots and local pharmacies in the last couple of years when under 18. But yes, they should eligible for it on the NHS.

Well pharmacies do them for anyone 2+: https://well.co.uk/health-hub/vaccinations/flu-jabs/?srsltid=AfmBOooCTPNZN2ttS8sCwew52cRUp9UxU0mVSuiA0MtWtg96XX082sTZ

Have you said about the chemo? My kids were all done early (with jab rather than nasal spray) due to my chemo.

DS17 had his flu jab in our local boots last month. I booked it for him online and went with him in case they wanted parental permission. I did have to pay.

I was really surprised that considering the messaging around the importance of the flu jab, that Year 12 and 13 pupils in England are not eligible for a free vaccination as part of the school scheme. I know that many of them are in colleges rather than school based 6th forms but it does seem a strange oversight. I said similar to the pharmacist and he nodded in agreement.

My youngest is the same, no provision despite most private online forms asking are you asthmatic- yes-then go back to the NHS. Who say no entitlement. I rang the GP on the advice of two pharmacists; they offered a ‘review’ with a nurse in two weeks. I offered to pay and they said they don’t offer private vaccinations, try a chemist 🤦‍♀️
I tried loads of independent pharmacies but they seem to offer up to age 3 or over 18, nothing for ages inbetween.
I can’t find a Boots, Asda or Tesco, as these offer age 12+, with an appointment available within 30 miles, until well into January.
We also tried the catch up clinic but they only have the contract for high school age children.
Many friends with college age kids have said the same. I accept we should have looked in autumn though.

The NHS rules on the flu vaccine state that a child of this age can have the flu vaccine : “Close Contacts of the Immunocompromised: Those who live with someone who has a weakened immune system are eligible for a free, inactivated flu vaccine to protect the vulnerable household member.” They are not allowed to refuse and this does apply to 16 and 17 year olds. Go back to your GP and insist. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/flu-vaccination-programme-information-for-healthcare-practitioners/flu-vaccination-programme-2023-to-2024-information-for-healthcare-practitioners#:~:text=smaller%20birth%20weight.-,Influenza%20vaccination%20programme,legal%20authority%20to%20do%20so.

Asthmatics on inhaled steroids are eligible. Those on salbutamol only are not. (Although no one should be on salbutamol only anymore but that’s another story..)