Primary and secondary school pupils will start receiving their flu vaccine tomorrow (Monday) as Scotland’s biggest flu immunisation programme gets underway.
Over four million people will be offered the free flu vaccine this year with secondary school pupils eligible for the first time.
Running until December all primary and secondary school pupils will be offered the vaccine which is given as a painless nasal spray.
Public Health Minister Maree Todd said: “More people than ever are being offered the flu vaccine and we hope to see a large uptake amongst pupils as we aim to keep flu out of schools this year.
“If you’ve not missed the deadline for returning consent forms to your school, I’d urge you to complete and return these now. Last year with the public health measures that were in place, there was lower levels of flu than there has been in previous years so our immunity levels to flu may be lower this year.
“The vaccines are safe and the best way to help protect you, and others, from flu this winter.”
The flu virus changes every year, so you need to get the vaccine every year to stay protected. The flu vaccine cannot give you flu, but it can stop you catching it. The COVID-19 vaccine does not offer any protection from flu, you need to get the separate flu vaccine.
In a small number of cases, the nasal spray may not be suitable, and the vaccine can be given as an injection in the arm instead.
For more information about the flu vaccine, visit www.nhsinfrom.scot/childflu, call 0800 030 8013, or speak to a health or immunisation team, practice nurse, or GP.
While the flu vaccination programme will get underway tomorrow, the decision on Covid vaccinations for 12 – 15 year olds is still to be taken.
Health Ministers of the devolved nations wrote to their respective Chief Medical Officers on Friday to seek further advice.
The joint letter reads:
Dear UK Chief Medical Officers,
We are writing on behalf of the 4 nations of the UK following the recent JCVI discussions on 1 and 2 September regarding the COVID-19 vaccination of children and young people aged 12 to 15.
JCVI has updated its advice on this topic. This advice says that the committee is of the opinion that the health benefits from vaccination are marginally greater than the potential harms. However, that margin of benefit, based primarily on a health perspective, is considered too small to support advice on a universal programme of vaccination of otherwise healthy 12 to 15-year-old children at this time.
The JCVI’s advice goes on to suggest that the government may wish to take further advice, including on educational impacts, from the chief medical officers of the 4 nations, with representation from JCVI in these subsequent discussions.
We agree with the approach suggested by JCVI, and so we are writing to request that you take forward work (drawing on experts as you see fit) to consider the matter from a broader perspective, as suggested by the JCVI.
We will consider the advice from the CMOs of the 4 nations, building on the JCVI’s advice, in making our decision. Given the importance of this issue, we would be grateful if you could provide your advice as soon as possible.
Sajid Javid MP
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, HM Government
Eluned Morgan AS/MS
Y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol
Minister for Health and Social Services, Welsh Government
Humza Yousaf MSP
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Scottish Government
Robin Swann MLA
Minister of Health, Northern Ireland Executive
6,152 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Scotland yesterday.