Protect your children from preventable illnesses as they return to school
Parents are being urged to make sure their children catch-up on missed vaccinations before heading back to the classroom.
With children returning to school this September and the winter season approaching, there is an increased risk of respiratory infections such as flu, and the risk of outbreaks from vaccine-preventable diseases like whooping cough (pertussis) and measles is also heightened.
The risk of outbreaks from vaccine-preventable diseases like whooping cough (pertussis) and measles is also heightened, particularly for children who are not up to to date with their routine immunisations.
While these diseases can be mild for some children, for others they can be serious. Measles can cause severe illness, including meningitis, disability and, in rare occasions, death. One in five children that catch measles will require a hospital visit.
Whooping cough (pertussis) can also cause serious illness, with infants and young babies being most at risk of complications and hospitalisation.
Getting your child up to date with their routine immunisations
The NHS offers a free and routine immunisation programme. Immunisation schedules have been designed to protect people, providing immunity before you are likely to be exposed to life-threatening diseases.
The schedule is based on how your immune system responds at different ages, and the likelihood of being exposed to particular diseases.
Your GP practice will contact you when your child is due. You may receive an invite by letter, phone call, text or email.
It is important that vaccines are given on time for best protection. Delaying vaccines could leave your child vulnerable to diseases when they are most likely to have serious complications.
Flu vaccinations for children
As the autumn term begins, a flu vaccine is offered to all school-age children at school. The flu virus changes each year, so it’s important to stay protected with the seasonal offer.
Children aged 2-3 are also invited to get a flu vaccination by their GP from September. Evidence shows that flu circulates earlier in children so timely vaccination helps protect them and prevents the flu from spreading.
Children under 5 are particularly vulnerable, and have one of the highest rates of hospital admissions due to flu. During the 2022 / 2023 season over 6,000 under 5s in England were hospitalised by flu, highlighting the importance of vaccination for early years.
For most children the flu vaccine is administered through a nasal spray, rather than an injection, making it quick and painless.
Vaccinating your child not only helps protect them, but helps safeguard others in the community by reducing the spread of flu.
Contact your GP to find out if your child is up to date, and arrange for catch-up vaccinations including flu if they are not.
Find out more here
Vaccines save millions of lives all over the world and getting vaccinated is a normal part of growing up in the UK. It is one of many things people do to protect their children from serious diseases.
This is especially important before starting school or nursery for the first time – or when students are heading to university away from home – as mixing with lots of new people can lead to disease outbreaks, and vaccination will be the best protection.
Dr Sandra Husbands, Director of Public Health for Hackney and the City