Dear Parent/Guardian ,
The Childhood Flu Vaccination Programme 2022 will be offered to:
Primary Schools – Reception to Year 6
This vaccination is to help protect your child against flu. Flu is a virus which can make you feel very unwell and can cause serious complications. Vaccinating your child will also help protect more vulnerable family members and friends by preventing the spread of flu.
This vaccination is free. It is a quick and simple spray up the nose. Even if your child had it last year, they should have the flu vaccine again this year. The nasal vaccine is offered to children as it is more effective than the injected vaccine. However, if your child is at high risk from flu due to 1 or more medical conditions or treatments and can’t have the nasal flu vaccine they should have the flu vaccine by injection.
For further information see: www.mpft.nhs.uk/services/school-age-immunisation
www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/child-flu-vaccine/
Protecting your Child against Flu Leaflet
The consent form must be completed by someone with Parental Responsibility or Delegated Authority – please see the definitions below if you are unsure.
To complete the on-line consent form, please using the following link: https://forms.mpft.nhs.uk/
Choose the following from the dropdown list:
St John's Primary Academy – Essington – 23rd November 2022 - Flu
Your school code is: SS141822-22
Please make sure that you complete and submit your child’s consent form as soon as you get it, whether you wish your child to be vaccinated or not and only submit one consent form per child.
Consents Forms need to be completed by 16th November 2022, as we are unable to accept them after this date. You may be required to bring your child to a community clinic for a catch-up appointment, if you do not submit the consent form by the required date above
If your child has ASTHMA and there are any changes to their health 14 days before the vaccination date YOU MUST contact the immunisation service on 0300 124 0366 as your child may not be well enough to receive the vaccination. These include, if your child:
· Becomes wheezy
· Has required oral steroids
· Has increased their asthma medication
Some people may not accept the use of porcine gelatine in medical products and for those, an alternative injectable porcine free vaccine is available this year. This will be an injection, not a nasal spray and may need to be given in a clinic setting, rather than school. If your child needs the porcine free injectable vaccination you will need to complete the e-consent form and tick the no-consent box for the nasal flu spray. You will then be asked to confirm the reason you do not consent to the nasal flu spray and asked to consent to the injectable flu vaccine .
*PARENTAL RESPONSIBILTITY:
The person(s) with parental responsibility will usually, but not always be the child’s birth parents. People with parental responsibility for the child include: the child’s mother; the child’s father if married to the mother at the child’s conception, birth or later; a legally appointed guardian; the local authority if the child is on a care order; or a person named in a residence order in respect of the child. Fathers who have never been married to the child’s mother will only have parental responsibility if they acquired it through a court order or parental responsibility agreement. After the 30th November 2003 unmarried fathers have automatic parental responsibility for their children if they are named on the birth certificate.
For a child born before the 30th November 2003, they can be re-registered and the father named on the birth certificate, after which the father will have automatic parental responsibility.
(Ref: www.childrenslegalcentre.com)
DELEGATED AUTHORITY:
In particular circumstances, the person(s) who hold(s) parental responsibility may have given delegated authority to a foster carer to be able to give consent for immunisations. Where a foster carer does not hold delegated authority for immunisations please arrange for the local authority to complete and sign the enclosed form.
If you have any concerns and would like to discuss the vaccination further or your child has already received the flu vaccine via your GP please do not hesitate to contact a member of the Immunisation Service on 0300 124 0366 Monday – Friday 8.30 – 4pm.
Yours sincerely
School Age Immunisation Service.
https://www.mpft.nhs.uk/services/school-age-immunisation
The number of children and young people catching measles has risen. It’s never too late to be vaccinated.
You need two doses of MMR one month apart to be fully protected against measles, mumps and rubella.
If your child has missed one or both of the MMR vaccinations contact your GP surgery to arrange an appointment.