Scottish school children will start receiving their flu vaccination from today (September 6) as Scotland’s biggest flu immunisation programme gets underway.
With secondary school pupils being eligible for the first time, over four million people will be offered the free flu jabs this year.
All primary and secondary school children will be offered the vaccine which is given as a painless nasal spray, until December.
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.”
Reinforcing the safety of the flu vaccine, the Scottish government said that it cannot give someone the flu but can stop them catching it.
The Covid-19 vaccine does not offer any protection from flu, therefore people need to take a separate flu jab.
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