Flu vaccine scheme could help ease winter pressure

School children are being offered the flu vaccine to help ease winter pressure on the NHS.

All children from reception to year 11 in Bristol and the surrounding areas are being offered the nasal spray.

Sirona Care & Health, which provides NHS services in the community, will be visiting schools over the next few months to administer the doses.

Pupils at Trinity Anglican Methodist Primary School in Portishead agreed the vaccine tickled, but didn’t hurt.

Gabriella, in year five, told BBC West: “I felt nervous, I didn’t really want it to happen. But after it happened I just felt relieved to get it over with.”

She would tell her peers: “It’s fine if you feel nervous, just don’t worry about it because it doesn’t hurt or anything.”

Florence, in year four, said: “It felt a bit tickly but it was ok - it won’t do you any harm it's just a little squirt.”

Classmate Henry agreed, adding: “If you get it done straight away you don’t have to think about it for another year.”

Alix Towson, school immunisation lead for Sirona, said: “Sometimes the children can be a little bit worried while they’re queuing up but as soon as they’ve been through they often leave giggling and laughing and talking about how tickly it is.”

The UK Health and Security Agency has warned that flu vaccine uptake in the south west dipped last winter compared to 2022-23 among vulnerable groups.

It fell from 83.4% to 81.1% among people aged 65 and over, from 41.% down to 37.1% in pregnant women and to 44.4% from 51.1% in toddlers aged two to three.

There is a major drive to boost uptake of both Covid and flu jabs with mass vaccine clinics at weekends in GP practices and other public places in Bristol.

Dr Geeta Iyer, a GP and deputy chief medical officer for Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board, warned people not to be complacent about flu.

“It’s really important that people have (the vaccine) as a focus for being strong for winter, making sure they are well, making sure they are not just protecting themselves but also their family and loved ones.”

One recipient put it bluntly: “I’d rather have a stab in the arm, which doesn’t last, than have flu and possibly die.

“There’s no point - why die early?”

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