Protect your children this flu season
HEALTH bosses at East Sussex County Council are urging parents, carers, and grandparents to check and return their child’s flu vaccine consent form and help keep their house virus-free this winter.
School immunisation teams will be visiting schools across the county over the next couple of months offering a free, nasal spray flu vaccine to every child from Reception to Year 11.
Darrell Gale, Director of Public Health in East Sussex, said: “Flu is a nasty virus that spreads more quickly among children than almost any other age group. It can have serious consequences and the best way to protect yourself and your family is to get the flu vaccination before winter kicks in.
“It couldn’t be easier for children to be protected - it’s as simple as returning a consent form to your child’s school and the school immunisation teams will do the rest.”
He added: “According to Department for Education figures, last winter 2.5 million days of school were missed across England, with flu being a major contributing factor. Not only can flu make children very sick, but it can also disrupt their learning.”
Despite the risk of flu, the most recent NHS figures show that in 2024 only around half of all primary school-aged children and less than half of all secondary school-aged children were protected against flu.
Parents and carers would have received an email or letter about the vaccination and can consent online at www.susseximmunisations.co.uk using the code for their child's school. The code can be found on the email or letter.
Flu usually peaks in December and January, with school immunisations usually completed by the end of November. The school immunisation team will run catch up clinics for those unable to have the vaccination at school.
Symptoms of flu, which is spread by coughs and sneezes or touching surfaces on which germs have landed, include fever, chills, headaches, aches and pains in joints and muscles and extreme tiredness.
Flu can lead to serious complications for people with underlying conditions such as diabetes, respiratory conditions, neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and heart, kidney and liver disease.
As well as young children, people over 65, pregnant women and those with long-term health conditions are particularly vulnerable to the effects of flu and eligible for the free vaccination.
People in at-risk groups can get the flu jab by talking to their GP or practice nurse or local pharmacy.
More information about eligibility and the vaccination can be found at Your guide to who’s eligible for the autumn 2026 flu vaccine – UK Health Security Agency
Information about catch up clinics for children can be found at Immunisation Service for Children and Young People
Ends.
Karen Bowles
Friday, 9 October 2026