Child Flu vaccination

Why should your child get the flu vaccination?

• Flu can be serious, even for healthy children.
• The flu vaccine helps prevent your child getting sick with flu and needing time off school or away from their activities. 
• The flu vaccine is an easy, painless and safe way to help protect your child this winter.
• The flu vaccine cannot give your child flu.
• Your child only needs one dose of the flu vaccine each year.
• The flu virus changes every year.

Who/what/where

• This year’s childhood flu programme includes children from 2 years to S6 (less than 18 years).
• The flu vaccine is usually given to children and young people as a painless nasal spray.
• All school pupils will be vaccinated for flu at school. Letters, leaflets and consent forms will be sent home with primary and secondary school pupils. (Secondary school pupils can self-consent.)
• If your child is ill on school vaccination day, please call the number on your vaccination letter to rearrange.
• Children aged 2-5 not yet at school will be invited forward by their Health Board or the national vaccination appointments team.

How to get your child vaccinated

All primary and secondary school pupils will be offered the flu vaccine at school. Look out for consent forms sent home from school.

Visit nhsinform.scot/childflu or call 0800 030 8013.