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Original poster

Kids Flu vaccine cancelled in favour of Covid jabs?

17 replies

APurpleSquirrel · 30/09/2021 19:55

Has anyone else seen/had this?
DD is in Yr2 at primary. For the past few weeks, in the school newsletter, it's been communicated that the children would receive their flu vaccines (nose spray) in December & further info & consent forms would follow.
Then in the last newsletter it said the following:

These were due to take place in school in December, however we have had notification that they have been cancelled due to the roll out of the Covid vaccinations for 12 to 15 year olds.

Has anyone else had the same? This seems ridiculous.

OP posts:
gamerchick · 30/09/2021 19:56

I got a text from school saying he was getting both at the same time. He's 14 though.

tiddlysquat · 30/09/2021 20:07

It makes sense, the vaccination teams can't be everywhere and the covid vaccines are more important .

Original poster
APurpleSquirrel · 30/09/2021 20:13

@tiddlysquat

It makes sense, the vaccination teams can't be everywhere and the covid vaccines are more important .
I'm not sure agree - children are more likely, I believe, to be ill with flu than Covid, so the vaccine helps to protect them as well as others.

Plus most adults have now had both Covid jabs, but many haven't had flu jabs yet as there seems to be problems with supplies - certainly our GP surgery hasn't started flu clinics yet as they're still waiting on the vaccine.

If children don't get the flu vaccine than it means less of the population are vaccinated & we're increasing the chances of a bad flu season on top of Covid?

OP posts:
Etonmessisyum · 30/09/2021 20:16

Mine get their flu on Tuesday. Primary and high school are just getting flu and going to drop in for covid. I’m sure they will double up depending on how busy covid vaccine centres get with boosters and it’s different vaccination teams do school / covid here at the moment.

GeorgiaGirl52 · 30/09/2021 20:22

Mine got both at the same time.

FluffyTeddyBear · 30/09/2021 20:29

Primary age children, flu vaccines cancelled as staff deployed to do covid jabs in secondary children.

HalloHello · 30/09/2021 20:33

December is very late for a flu jab. But that is ridiculous, I've not heard that where I am. My daughter gets hers next week and she's 3.5.

Original poster
APurpleSquirrel · 30/09/2021 20:34

@HalloHello

December is very late for a flu jab. But that is ridiculous, I've not heard that where I am. My daughter gets hers next week and she's 3.5.
My 3 yo DS gets his on Saturday at the GP but atm he'll be the only one to be vaccinated for flu so far this year.
OP posts:
bizboz · 30/09/2021 20:37

So Covid and flu will be able to circulate freely in primary schools? Sounds like a wonderful idea. I thought the government were saying the flu vaccine was more important than ever this year and vaccinating young children was a great way to stop the overall spread.

I'm a primary school teacher and usually get my flu jab done when they come in to do the kids (I pay for mine). Now I'll be at increased risk of getting the flu just at the time when the effect of my COVID vaccine might be waning.

bizboz · 30/09/2021 20:39

December is very late for a flu jab.
My DC have had theirs done a couple of times in December. Their school ways seems to be one of the last ones. I did question the vaccination team last time and they said October-December is the usual timeframe for flu vaccination.

StartSelect · 30/09/2021 20:40

Ds (10) had his flu spray last week

tiddlysquat · 30/09/2021 21:11

@APurpleSquirrel yes you're right I have also heard flu clinics for elderly are taking forever - they're doing them here but I met some friends recently who said they hadn't heard a peep.

And yes kids would get flu worse than covid. I just worry as covid seems quite random in how and who it affects badly . When my dd was young they didn't give flu vaccines to kids - she gets one as is cv but never did via school

mightyducks · 01/10/2021 08:05

The schools flu programme has been delayed in some areas, they’ve been told they can do it until the end of March. They are prioritising the covid booster programme now until,Xmas. There are no more school vaccinators and with the flu programme being extended to all school age groups something has had to give.

MrsWooster · 01/10/2021 08:18

Flu spray in school next month.

sirfredfredgeorge · 01/10/2021 09:45

December is very late for a flu jab.
My DC have had theirs done a couple of times in December. Their school ways seems to be one of the last ones. I did question the vaccination team last time and they said October-December is the usual timeframe for flu vaccination.

Primary children are often later, they (typically) have a better immune system that reacts quicker, and are at lower risk than other groups, so in a priority order it makes sense them being at the end.

Cancelling flu vaccinations for covid makes no sense - the JCVI view on the benefit of covid vaccination was so marginal and did not assume any reduction in flu vaccination. A reduction in flu vaccination will almost certainly turn it negative benefit on any measure.

RockaLock · 01/10/2021 10:05

DS are at secondary. They were meant to have the flu vaccine last week, but then we had a last minute email saying they were doing covid vaccines that week.

I assumed they would do both at the same time, but no, they just did the covid vaccines.

The school have no idea when the immunisation team will come back to do the flu vaccines Confused

herecomesthsun · 01/10/2021 10:16

Our GP delayed adults' flu vaccines because of supply problems, I don't know how widespread the supply problems are.

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