More under-fives with flu in region's hospitals – here’s how you can get your child vaccinated in Northamptonshire

“For a third week running we have seen hospitalisation rates among children under five jump,” says UKHSA
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Health experts are urging parents in Northamptonshire to get their under-fives vaccinated against flu as hospitals see numbers of sick children rise in the region.

They fear fewer vaccinations last year means more than half the very young have no protection against infection. The vaccine is given to children as a spray squirted up each nostril. It's quick and painless. The vaccine will still work even if your child gets a runny nose, sneezes or blows their nose.

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UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) says 71 percent of over 65s in the East Midlands have had a flu jab. But health professionals are particularly concerned that just 13.9 percent of two to three-year-olds have had the nasal spray — compared to 14.6 percent of pregnant women and and 39 percent with long-term health conditions.

Children aged two and older are usually given the flu vaccine as a nasal spray. It's quick and painless and feels like a tickleChildren aged two and older are usually given the flu vaccine as a nasal spray. It's quick and painless and feels like a tickle
Children aged two and older are usually given the flu vaccine as a nasal spray. It's quick and painless and feels like a tickle

They warn this year is predicted to be a bad winter for respiratory infections with a ‘twindemic’ of flu and Covid-19 infections increasing the possibility of complications and increases in hospitalisations and deaths.

Dr Annapurna Sen, health protection consultant at West and North Northamptonshire councils said: “The Northamptonshire uptake of flu vaccine in children aged two to three was very low last year with less than half vaccinated. This meant many very young children were unprotected from flu.

■ If you have not received an invitation for your child to receive the flu vaccine, speak to your GP practice to book an appointment or click the NHS website.

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“This year we are all spending more time mixing with others, so it is especially important to make this a priority. All children in this age group are being offered this vaccination for free. It’s given to most children through a nasal spray which contains small amounts of weakened flu viruses and does not cause flu in children.

“I want to appeal to all parents and guardians to take personal responsibility to ensure your children receive their flu nasal spray, a simple procedure, but one which will protect them as well as preventing the spread of the illness to vulnerable family and friends.”

Nationally, latest UKHSA estimates more than 200 under-fives were in hospital suffering from serious complications caused by flu in the week to November 20 with a 70 percent increase in a week.

Children with flu can also pose a secondary risk to anyone vulnerable or elderly they come into contact with. All primary school children and some secondary school children are being given the option to have it at school. GP surgeries have also invited children aged two and three years old for this nasal spray vaccination at their practices.

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If you’ve missed the school vaccination appointment then there are NHS Community clinics available.

Dr Conall Watson, consultant epidemiologist at UKHSA, said: “Young children are particularly vulnerable to becoming very poorly from flu and for a third week running we have seen hospitalisation rates among children under five jump up.

“Flu is now circulating at higher levels than recent years and because of the pandemic restrictions most young children will not have encountered flu before. This means they will have no natural immunity and are therefore at even greater risk this year.”