Prevention of Flu for all children, is provided by the Scottish Government.
Primary School children will be offered the vaccine at school, and the parents of under 5 year olds (those not yet at school) are invited to arrange an appointment at a vaccination centre. The vaccine is not a jag, but a fine mist spray which goes in each nostril. It’s not sore or distressing, and is an excellent way of Flu prevention.
Many people say the have the flu when they in fact have the common cold. The influenza virus is much more serious than the cold, and still causes thousands of hospital admissions and deaths to people with underlying conditions every year.
This campaign, as well as protecting children, also provides better protection of the elderly and those at higher risk of Flu and its complications. This is because children spread flu more than anyone else, because they are unaware of covering their mouths when coughing or sneezing, they don’t understand about only using a paper handkerchief once and disposing of it into a bin, and then washing their hands to prevent the spread of Flu germs. So if they are immunised, they will spread less germs to those who are at more risk.
So by having your child immunised against flu, you are not only protecting them, but also protecting their Grandparents and relatives from the flu and also potentially Pneumonia, Heart Failure and Stroke which have been found to be complications of elderly people if they get the flu. (Guiraud et al, 2010)
Find out more about Childhood flu vaccines:
http://www.immunisationscotland.org.uk/vaccines-and-diseases/seasonalflu/childflu.aspx
