Flu Immunisation 2023/24
You have been sent to this consent website as your child is due to receive their annual nasal flu vaccination.
This year, all children in years R - 11 are included in the programme and all children up to the age of 18 if attending a Specialist Education School.
Your child only requires one flu vaccination each academic year.
The vaccination is free. It is recommended to protect your child and to reduce the spread of the virus in the community to protect others.
This is a 'live' vaccination and is given by a quick and simple spray up the nose.
More information about the nasal flu vaccine is available in many different languages that be accessed here
If you have any questions read our FAQs below.
Who we are and why we’ve asked you to visit us
We are a team a specially trained nurses and support staff who have vast experience in delivering immunisations to School aged children within school and community settings.
Our nurses are used to working in busy environments and using many different methods to ensure that children and young people have the most positive experience possible when receiving their vaccination.
We strongly advocate that this should be a positive experience, ensuring that the children and young people understand fully the benefits of vaccinations and feel part of the process themselves to support them in making healthy choices about their futures.
We work in small local teams to build strong relationships with 'our schools and communities' whilst also working within a wider team to ensure that expertise and learning is shared and we are able to support each other to ensure that we are always striving to deliver the safest and best service for our children, young people and the community.
Saving time, saving paper and helping to save the planet
We believe in protecting the environment and this is a clear way to reduce the use of paper. With e-consent the information that is required is confidentially processed in a safe manner with no risk of lost forms, information being altered, they are quick to fill in and easy to process.
You will receive confirmation when the form is completed and further confirmation when your child has been vaccinated, again avoiding any confusion as to whether they have received the vaccine or not.
If you do have any queries or difficulties accessing the form then please don't hesitate to contact the team.
Have any questions?
Here are some of our frequently asked questions.
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Can I take my child to the GP for their vaccination?
Generally, all adolescent school-aged vaccinations are provided by the school immunisation team. This includes Human Papilloma Virus in Year 8 and Diphtheria/Tetanus/Polio (DTP) and Meningits ACWY (MenACWY) in year 9. The GP can vaccinate in certain circumstances, but usually only if the child has missed their vaccinations in the school year it was due.
The annual flu vaccination is only given in school or community clinic unless your child is clinically vulnerable. In this case, you will receive an invitation from the GP to attend the surgery.
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What happens if I have missed the 'consent cut off date' but still want my child to be vaccinated?
You can provide consent for the vaccination up to the day of the session. Further opportunities will be provided in school, or you can take you child to a community clinic if you prefer. You will be provided with details of how to book an appointment if your child misses the session in school.
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What if my child is absent from school on the day of immunisation or declines to have it on the day?
Your child can still receive their immunisation when the team next attend their school, or you can book an appointment in a clinic venue. Please contact the team directly for further information.
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What if I change my mind about my child having their vaccination after I have submitted consent?
It is important that you contact the Immunisation Team immediately and speak to a member of staff. We also advise that you contact the school. Please ensure that your child is aware of your final decision and provide written confirmation of this for them to share with the team.
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What if my child does not attend school?
The team will be happy to see your child in one of our community clinics. Please contact the team to discuss your requirements.
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What if my child has a medical condition?
There are very few children that cannot receive their vaccinations.
However, if your child has a medical condition, please discuss it with your child’s GP or consultant to ensure it is safe for them to receive the vaccination at the current time and document this on their form.
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Are there any side effects following vaccination?
All vaccines can cause side effects, but studies suggest they are generally mild and soon settle.
Injected vaccines can cause:
- swelling at the injection site
- redness at/around the injection site
- tenderness at the injection site
- development of a small lump at the injection site
All vaccinations can cause:
- feeling or being sick
- headaches
- tiredness
If you are worried about your child, you can telephone 111 for non-urgent medical advice or contact your GP practice. In an emergency, please telephone 999. Further advice can be found at: www.nhs.uk.
Our team report any post vaccination side effects that we are aware of, so please contact the Immunisation Team if you feel that we need to report any reactions experienced by your child.
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What if my child is unwell on the day of the vaccination?
Vaccinations can safely be given as long as the child is not systemically unwell. This is when your child has an illness that affects the whole body and they would usually present with a high temperature.
If your child is not well enough to attend school, then our team will make arrangements to see them the next time they visit the school or provide details on how to access a community clinic. Generally, if they are well enough to be in school, they are usually well enough to be vaccinated.However, if your child is recovering from a chronic illness or recent infection, the nurse may decide to defer the vaccination until they are fully recovered. This is to ensure that any subsequent changes in their health are not wrongly attributed to the vaccination.
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Can my child take Ibuprofen or Paracetamol after or before the vaccine?
Yes, either Paracetamol or Ibuprofen can be safely taken to reduce symptoms from the vaccine (please follow product dosage instructions). Likewise, if your child is taking Ibuprofen or Paracetamol prior to the vaccine for any reason, it is still ok to have the vaccine whilst using these two medications.
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Where can I find out more information about vaccinations?
You can find further information on the NHS choices website. Alternatively, you can speak to a member of the immunisation team.
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Why do you need previous vaccination dates?
We only ask for this information if it is needed to ensure the correct intervals between vaccinations. Please note that we do not have access to your child’s GP records, so we may not be aware of their previous vaccination date unless you advise us.
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Are there any children who shouldn’t have the nasal vaccine?
Children who should not have the live nasal flu vaccine include those:
- who are currently wheezy or have been wheezy in the past three days (vaccination should be delayed until at least three days after the wheezing has stopped).
- are severely asthmatic, i.e. being treated with oral steroids or high dose inhaled steroids.
- have a condition, or are on treatment, that severely weakens their immune system or have someone in their household who needs isolation because they are severely immunosuppressed.
- have severe egg allergy. Most children with egg allergy can be safely immunised with nasal flu vaccine.
However, children with a history of severe egg allergy with anaphylaxis requiring hospitalisation should seek specialist advice.
- are allergic to any other components of the vaccine.
- If your child is taking aspirin or any other salicylate therapy (e.g. mesalazine and sulfasalazine)? Please check with your GP/Consultant if unsure
As children with pre-existing medical conditions may be more vulnerable to complications of flu it is especially important that they are vaccinated.
If your child is not able to have the live nasal vaccination they can still be vaccinated in a clinic with the inactivated injection.
If you are unsure whether your child should get the injected vaccine or the nasal vaccine please check with the school immunisation team, your GP surgery or Consultant.
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Can my child have the injected vaccine that doesn’t contain gelatine?
If your child is at high risk of flu due to one or more medical conditions or treatments and can’t have the live nasal flu vaccine, they should have the inactivated flu vaccine by injection.
Some faith groups accept the use of porcine gelatine in medical products. You can access further information about porcine gelatine used in vaccines, including the nasal flu vaccine, here.
If you do not accept the use of gelatine and would still like your child to receive the immunisation, please contact the team to arrange for the inactivated flu injection to be given at a clinic.
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Can the vaccine cause flu?
No, the vaccine cannot cause flu because the viruses in it have been weakened to prevent this from happening.
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Does the nasal vaccine contain gelatine derived from pigs (porcine gelatine)?
Yes. The nasal vaccine contains a highly processed form of gelatine (porcine gelatine), which is used in a range of many essential medicines. The gelatine helps to keep the vaccine viruses stable so that the vaccine provides the best protection against flu.
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How does the nasal spray work?
The nasal spray contains viruses that have been weakened so that they cannot give your child the flu.
The vaccine is absorbed quickly in the nose, so even if your child sneezes immediately after having had the spray, there’s no need to worry that it hasn’t worked.
The body builds immunity to the virus to that when they come into contact with flu viruses. They will be better able to fight off the infection.
The nasal spray also prevents your child from carrying the flu virus in their nose so that they do not transfer it to others, so it protects them and the people around them from getting the flu.
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How will the vaccine be given?
For most children, it is given as a nasal spray. You can see a demonstration of how it is administered here.
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Are there any side effects following nasal flu vaccination?
Following nasal flu vaccination, children may develop the following:
- Headache
- General tiredness
- Some loss of appetite
These side effects are mild, do not last long and are much less serious than developing flu or complications associated with flu. Serious side effects are uncommon.
Further advice can be found at: Children's flu vaccine
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What are the benefits of the vaccine?
Having the vaccine will help protect your child from catching flu.
It will also reduce the chance of others in your family, who could be at greater risk from flu, such as grandparents, those with long term health conditions, or siblings that are too young to be vaccinated, getting flu from your child.
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Why do children need a flu vaccination every year?
The flu vaccine changes every winter to match the different type of flu circulating each year. For this reason, we recommend that your child is vaccinated against flu again this year, even if vaccinated last year.
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Why should my child have the flu vaccine?
Flu can be a very unpleasant illness in children. It can last several days or more; causing fever, stuffy nose, dry cough, sore throat, aching muscles and joints, and extreme tiredness.
Some children can get a very high fever, sometimes without the usual flu symptoms, and may need to go to hospital for treatment. Serious complications of flu include a painful ear infection, acute bronchitis, and pneumonia.
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Where can I find out more information about flu vaccination?
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Do I get a copy of my consent form?
Yes. Once you have submitted the consent you will receive an email to let you know we have received it and a PDF copy of the form that you have completed.
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How do I raise a technical support request?
Please email us on support@riviam.zendesk.com. Please don't put any personal details in as this email is not for clinical issues.
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What if I require the information in a different format?
Please contact the immunisation team who will be able to assist.
Still have questions?
If you still have questions about our service or immunisations, please get in touch with us using the information below.
or call us on 0300 247 00820300 247 0082.
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