Key Summary
- Around 2.5 million out of a total of the 4.5 million eligible school children received the vaccine last year.
- Younger children, aged 2 and 3 years, are also able to receive a flu vaccine from their GP surgery.
- Vaccination offers the best protection against flu and usually has a better immune response in children.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has said that last winter only 55.5% of primary school children received a flu vaccine, and has urged the parents to return flu consent forms as the vaccine roll out in schools starts this week.
While this was slightly higher than 2024-25 (54.5%), but it was well below the peak in 2020-21 (62.5%).
Around 2.5 million out of a total of the 4.5 million eligible school children received the vaccine last year.
The youngest primary school aged children have been eligible for a nasal-spray flu vaccine since the 2014 to 2015 season.
This was expanded to all primary school-aged children by the 2019 to 2020 season.
Younger children, aged 2 and 3 years, are also able to receive a flu vaccine from their GP surgery.
Vaccination offers the best protection against flu and usually has a better immune response in children.
Last year, the vaccine is estimated to have prevented 52% of children from having to visit their GP; and 68% from being hospitalised.
The UKHSA is reminding parents of the importance of vaccination and helping to protect their children against flu; and to ensure timely return of consent forms, so that their children do not miss out when school immunisation teams visit.
Children’s flu vaccinations will start in some schools from this week and local immunisation teams will move from school to school, with all schools expected to be covered by late November.
It’s best to get vaccinated before flu starts circulating widely - in December and January.
Getting vaccinated before the end of November will help protect children during the peak flu season.
Flu can be very serious for some younger children and puts many thousands in hospital every year. Younger children, aged 2 and 3 years, are also able to receive a flu vaccine from their GP surgery.
UKHSA flu programme Lead Dr Suzanna McDonald said: "Younger children are at higher risk of developing complications from flu and being hospitalised. Ensuring children are vaccinated against flu with a painless and easy nose spray, not only helps to protect them, but also helps stop them spreading it into the wider community and to those who may be even more vulnerable, such as younger siblings and grandparents.
"That is why we are so concerned that flu vaccine uptake among children in primary schools is too low and many thousands of children are unprotected. It’s vital we turn this around.
"This will take a concerted effort – with parents returning consent forms in good time; and our school vaccinations teams and head teachers working together to deliver the vaccine programme – helping protect children and give them the best start to thrive in school."
