Are there any children who shouldn’t have the nasal vaccine?

Children who should not have the nasal 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.

As children with pre-existing medical conditions may be more vulnerable to complications of flu it is especially important that they are vaccinated.

If you are unsure whether your child should get the injected vaccine or the nasal vaccine please check with the school immunisation team or your GP surgery.

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