The summer holidays will fly by and be over as quickly as they began, much to your relief, but probably the disappointment of your kids! Unfortunately, alongside the general back to school chaos, September also brings with it the start of the flu season.
Flu season not only means that people have to take time off of work due to being ill themselves, but parents often have to take time off work to look after their children who have the flu, because schools are rife with superspreaders. It seems that the best solution to the frustrating effects of the flu on school and parenting life is to nip it in the bud early enough in the season for immunity to make a significant difference.
This is where the flu vaccine comes in.
The flu vaccine comes in two forms, the traditional syringe-administered jab, and a nasal spray vaccine. While the nasal spray vaccine may be the preferred administration tactic for parents of children who don’t like needles, supply issues have resulted in limited availability, and it may still be worth considering the alternative.
When might the jab be preferable?
The nasal spray vaccine is protective and an excellent choice, but is not suitable for everyone. It is a live vaccine, and so cannot be administered to children who are immunocompromised or who live with anyone who may be immunocompromised. It is also unsuitable for anyone with bad asthma, since it may trigger an attack. The injected vaccine is not a live vaccine and is an obvious solution for a lot of people.
The nasal spray vaccine contains traces of gelatine and egg, and so may be unsuitable for vegetarians, vegans, Muslims or those with a severe egg allergy. There is a cell-culture based injectable vaccine that is egg-free, which may be a more acceptable alternative.
The nasal spray vaccine can only be given from age two onwards. However, if there is a special reason for needing to vaccinate your child at a younger age than this, the standard injectable vaccine can be given from the age of 6 months. (The best way to protect babies younger than this is by vaccinating mums during pregnancy.)
For the past three winters, the nasal spray vaccine has been in limited supply. It has not been available privately but only through the NHS, and supply issues have resulted in extended delays. By contrast, injected vaccines have been available reliably from September onwards.
A well-timed dose of the injected vaccine, early in the season, may be a better option than the uncertainty of a delayed dose.
At the Fleet Street Clinic, we have been happy to offer the nasal spray vaccine previously but having been unable to obtain reliable supplies for the past three years, we will not be offering it this season.
If you decide to book the injected flu vaccine for your child this winter, you can rely on guaranteed supplies as well as our expertise in vaccinating babies and children of all ages.
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24/25 Winter Flu Vaccination Pricing:
Cell-Based Quadrivalent Flu Jab – £42 – Suitable from 2 years
Standard Quadrivalent Flu Jab – £30 – Suitable from 6 months old
Book Your Flu Jab Online Today
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