Home › Nasal Flu Vaccine 2023/2024 – this page is currently being updated 26/09/2023

Nasal Flu Vaccine 2023/2024 – this page is currently being updated 26/09/2023

 

It is estimated that 20-30% of children develop influenza every year, leading to pneumonia, bronchiolitis, croup and bronchitis. During winter 2018/2019 in Ireland, influenza illness resulted in 1,245 children being admitted to hospital.

Nine European countries, the USA, Canada, Australia and the UK recommend influenza vaccination for children.

In 2020, Ireland, for the first time, introduced a flu vaccination programme for all 2-12 years old, to help reduce illness during the 2020/2021 winter season. This year  2021/2022 it has been extended to include  children and young adults aged between 2-17 years of age.

This will be in the form of a nasal spray, live influenza (needle free) vaccination. All healthy children in this age group will require one vaccination (2 sprays).

Children in a medically at risk group , aged between 2 and 8years 364 days old, and who have never received any flu vaccine in the past, will require 2 doses (4 sprays) of nasal vaccine  – 4 weeks apart.

Medically at risk groups in children

Children are deemed at higher risk of complications of influenza if they have a diagnosis of any of the following conditions:

    • chronic heart, liver or kidney disease, including nephrotic syndrome
    • chronic respiratory disease, including cystic fibrosis, moderate or severe asthma or bronchopulmonary dysplasia
    • chronic neurological disease including a child with a moderate to severe neurodevelopmental disorder such as cerebral palsy,  spina bifida, or an intracranial shunt
    • diabetes mellitus (Type 1 or Type 2)
    • haemoglobinopathies eg Sickle cell anaemia
    • obesity
    • immunosuppression due to disease or treatment (including treatment for cancer), treatment for inflammatory arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease, post splenectomy
  •  Down syndrome
  •  on long term aspirin therapy

In this exceptionally busy period for the surgery, to enable our phone lines remain free for patients who are unwell, we have set up an on-line booking system for a nasal flu vaccination clinic. This special clinic run by the GPs at Woodview, will take place in the surgery  during October and November, 2022.

Please note, your child must be a registered patient of Woodview Family Doctors, aged between 2 and 17 years of age, you will need one appointment per child and each child’s medical card number or PPS number. The only vaccine available at this clinic is the nasal spray vaccine.

There are very few children who should not receive this vaccination please note the list below: if your child falls into this category,(most children in this  category will have frequent hospital appointments) or you are unsure, please telephone your consultant paediatrician, for their advice.

Children who should not receive intranasal live flu vaccine and receive the injection vaccine instead are:

  • children who are severely immunocompromised due to disease or treatment eg cancer treatment
  • children who live with someone who is severely immunosuppressed eg post stem cell transplant
  • children who have a severe neutropenia ie neutrophil count < 0.5 x 109ml/l
  • children on long term aspirin or salicylate drugs
  • children on combination end point inhibitor drugs eg for  melanoma skin cancer

Reasons to defer influenza vaccination for your child,

  • If your child has a temperature, they should not receive either flu vaccine until they have recovered from their illness
  • If a child has an exacerbation of their asthma with increased wheezing requiring them to use their reliever (blue) inhaler in the previous 72 hours
  • If your child has had treatment of Tamiflu (antiviral medication) for treatment of an influenza like illness in the preceding 48 hours
  • If your child has had in the past a severe allergic reaction to egg requiring them to be admitted to ICU in hospital, they should receive the nasal vaccine in a hospital setting not in the surgery.

Side effects :Side effects are mild but common. It is usual that post vaccination your child may develop a runny nose, decreased appetite, malaise, fever, headache and muscle pain. The fever is usually mild under 38 degrees and short lived responding to paracetamol – similar to those after other childhood vaccines. Symptoms usually only last for 24-48 hours.

Immediate allergic reactions are very rare less than 1 in 10,000 and we would ask you to remain in the vicinity of Woodview Family Doctors in your car  for 15 minutes  so that you can immediately return to the surgery should such an episode occur. Additional information is available at https://www.hse.ie/eng/health/immunisation/pubinfo/flu-vaccination/flu-vaccine-for-children/

Book an appointment for your child’s free flu vaccination   ** 3/11/2022 Important update the nasal flu clinics over the midterm are now fully booked.   We have limited nasal flu vaccines in stock so please contact reception directly to schedule an appointment at clinics we have in November.

Childhood flu vaccines  : FAQs

My child is under 6 months of age :   For children aged 0-6 months flu vaccination is not recommended.

My child is aged 6- 23 months old : Children aged 6 months  to 23 months should have flu vaccine IF they fall into one of the  medically at risk groups.(see above for list of at risk conditions)

The intranasal vaccine is not recommended for this aged group as it is a live vaccine. If your child falls into  this category please make an appointment to speak with your usual GP regarding getting a free flu injection vaccine instead.

My child is aged 24 months (2 years)  to under 18 years ( 17 years and 364 days)

The childhood nasal flu vaccine free of charge to all children aged  from 2-17 years of age, regardless of whether or not they have an underlying medical condition

This is a live vaccine given by one dose (2 quick sprays) up the child’s nose. Most children will require only 1 dose, there are a small minority of children who fall into certain high risk groups who will require a second vaccination 4 weeks after their first dose.

See above for this list of medically at risk conditions. If your child has any of these conditions they will require a second dose of nasal flu vaccination.

My child is aged 18 year and older: If your  adult child is in this age category, and falls into a  medically at risk group please telephone the surgery to  make an appointment to  receive the flu injection vaccine at the surgery.