Tag: children vaccines
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
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a common and highly contagious virus that primarily affects the respiratory tract, causing significant illness, particularly in infants.
It is present year-round but peaks during the winter months, and spreads through droplets from coughs and sneezes or via contact with contaminated surfaces. RSV is a virus, so antibiotics are not an effective treatment.
Each year, RSV poses a substantial health risk to infants and older adults worldwide.
In the UK, RSV accounts for approximately 33,500 hospitalisations annually in children aged 5 and under, resulting in 20 to 30 deaths per year. 75-80% of hospitalisations due to RSV happened during the first 6 months of life.
Is there a suitable RSV vaccine for pregnant woman?
Abrysvo is a recombinant vaccine for the prevention of severe lower respiratory tract disease caused by RSV in infants up to six months old. It is the only maternal RSV immunisation given to the pregnant woman between 28 – 36 weeks of pregnancy to help protect newborns. It can also be used for older adults over the age of 60 years, in preventing RSV that can lead to breathing difficulties and pneumonia.
Maternal vaccination involves administering vaccines to pregnant women to protect their newborns through the transfer of antibodies. This approach has been effectively used for diseases like whooping cough.
Vaccinating pregnant women against RSV provides passive immunity to their babies, safeguarding them against RSV until they can receive their own vaccines. The RSV vaccine should ideally be given at least 2 weeks apart from the whooping cough vaccine.
In the UK, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has assessed the impact of RSV and now recommends vaccination to protect vulnerable groups, including infants and older adults with the aim of reducing the incidence of RSV-related illnesses among infants, ultimately reducing RSV-related morbidity.
At Fleet Street Clinic, we can offer private RSV vaccination to protect you and your baby, ahead of the NHS roll out.
Abrysvo is an inactivated vaccine and only requires a single dose for protection.
Price: £299
Please contact our reception team to book by phone, +44 20 7353 5678 or by emailing info@fleetstreetclinic.com
RELATED SERVICES AVAILABLE AT FLEET ST. CLINIC
What to do if you think your child has measles and when to keep them off school.
Measles cases are increasing throughout England, particularly among children. This highly contagious infection can lead to severe complications for some individuals.
Since there is no specific medical treatment for measles, obtaining vaccination is crucial for the best defence against serious illness. The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is part of routine childhood vaccinations, meaning most children are already immunised against measles.
If your child has received both doses of the vaccine, it is unlikely that they will contract the virus.
Here, we’ll provide everything you need to know about measles, from ensuring your child’s vaccination to knowing when to keep them away from school.
What are the symptoms of measles?
Measles usually starts with cold-like symptoms, followed by a rash a few days later. Some people may also get small spots in their mouth.
Symptoms of measles usually start to appear 7-14 days after you become infected, which include:
- Runny/blocked nose
- Sneezing
- High temperature
- Sore, red eyes that may be sensitive to light
- Sore throat
- White spots inside the mouth
What does a measles rash look like?
Measles usually begins as flat red spots that appear on the face at the hairline and spread downward to the neck, body, arms, legs, and feet. Small, raised bumps may also appear on top of the flat red spots. The spots may become joined together as they spread from the head to the rest of the body.
What should you do if you think your child has measles?
If you suspect that you or your child might have measles, it’s important to request an immediate GP appointment or seek assistance from NHS 111.
Before visiting the GP or any healthcare facility, make sure to call ahead for guidance.
In the event of a measles diagnosis for your child by a doctor, it is advisable for them to refrain from attending nursery or school for a minimum of 4 days from the onset of the rash. Additionally, they should steer clear of close interactions with infants and individuals who are pregnant or have compromised immune systems.
What is the best way to protect against measles?
The best protection against measles for children and adults is to get both doses of the MMR vaccine.
MMR vaccination is available at Fleet Street Clinic for children and adults who would like catch-up on doses. If you or your child haven’t been vaccinated yet, or have an unfinished course of vaccines, either book an appointment online or contact our reception team on +44 20 7353 5678 to book an appointment.
We can usually accommodate same day appointments.
Alternatively, children receive the vaccine at no cost on the NHS at 12 months and then a second dose at 3 years and 4 months. You may find the NHS vaccination service has a longer wait time that us.
If you prefer a version of the MMR vaccine without pork products, please get in touch, explaining your preference and we will do our best to accommodate. It’s important to note that we would be ordering this product specially for you, so there may be a longer wait time for delivery and prepayment will be required. Either call our reception team on +44 20 7353 5678 or email info@fleetstreetclinic.com
Cold-like symptoms can be an early sign of measles. Should you still send your child to school?
If your child has been vaccinated, it’s very unlikely that they have measles. Check if they have a high temperature or a fever, and if not, we’d advise it’s fine to send your child to school.
Keep an eye on their symptoms and adapt accordingly if they worsen.
When should you keep your child off school or nursery and how long for?
If your child has measles, they should stay off nursery or school for at least 4 days from when the rash first appears and avoid close contact with babies and anyone who is pregnant or has a weakened immune system.
The school will let you know if your child has been in contact with someone who has measles and advise what you need to do.
They may advise people who are more susceptible to contracting the virus, such as unvaccinated siblings to stay away from school for the incubation period to be on the safe side.
The incubation period is the length of time it can take to develop the illness after being in contact with someone with measles. For measles, the incubation period can be up to 21 days.
Anyone, child or adult, who has been vaccinated is unlikely to be considered susceptible.
If you’re not sure whether your child is due a vaccination or has missed a vaccination, you can check their Red Book or contact your registered GP practice for confirmation.
If your child has missed their first or second dose of the MMR vaccine, we’d advise you book an appointment for catch up vaccines. You can book an appointment online.
Should you keep your child off school if another pupil has been diagnosed with measles?
Most children will be protected against measles and there is no need to keep your child off school if they have had both their MMR vaccinations.
Your school will let you know if your child has been in contact with someone with confirmed measles and will advise what the next steps are.
Can I still get my child vaccinated even if they’re older?
Yes. The MMR vaccine is suitable for adults and children, therefore, anyone who has not had 2 doses of the MMR vaccine can book an appointment for catch up vaccinations.
It’s best to have vaccines on time, but you can still catch up on most vaccines if you miss them. Two doses of the vaccine are needed to ensure full protection.
RELATED SERVICES AVAILABLE AT FLEET ST. CLINIC
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Measles outbreak & isolation warning
In September 2021, Public Health England released new rules surrounding the timing of BCG vaccination, increasing the minimum age of vaccination to 28 days. This has been implemented in line with a pilot disease screening programme that tests eligible newborns for Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID), the outcome of which becomes available by the time the baby is 6 weeks old. It is important that we wait for the result of this test before giving the BCG vaccine.
What is SCID screening?
All newborn babies in the UK are currently offered blood spot screening (heel prick test) that looks for 9 rare diseases, including sickle cell and cystic fibrosis. The NHS is considering introducing an additional test for Severe Immunodeficiency (SCID), a name given to a group of rare, inherited disorders that cause major abnormalities in the immune system. Affected infants have an increased risk of life-threatening infections and will normally become severely unwell in the first few months of life. Without treatment they will rarely live past their first birthday. About 14 babies a year are born in England with SCID.
The evaluation of this testing, which began on 6th September 2021, is taking place in 6 areas across England and will cover around 60% of new born babies. It is running alongside the existing blood spot screening and the intention is to roll it out nationally once the 2 year evaluation has been made.
Why does this affect the BCG vaccination?
Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is a live attenuated vaccine that can cause problems if given to an immunocompromised person. Treatment for SCID is more complicated if the child has received the BCG vaccine, so it is important that if your child has been tested. We wait for a negative result before vaccinating.
What we need from you:
If your child was included in the SCID programme, you will need to provide a letter that confirms the negative result of screening.
If your child was born outside of the programme areas and therefore, not included in the SCID programme, we will need to see a letter confirming this.
In either case, please bring the letter with you to your appointment, as well as your child’s vaccination book.
Nb. If your child was born before 1st September 2021, before the programme was introduced, no letter will be needed.
For more information on:
Other Childhood Vaccinations