Dear Parents and Carers,
I am writing to you as Croydon’s Director of Public Health to ask for your help.
Immunising our children against seasonal flu is vital every year but this winter with COVID19 we need even greater support for the seasonal flu vaccination programme. Evidence shows that children easily spread the virus amongst each other and can infect more vulnerable people in their families and communities.
The government has launched the largest flu vaccination programme in history and this year, we would like every child aged 2 to 12 years to be vaccinated. For children at school in classes reception to year 7, the schools immunisation team will be visiting schools to administer vaccines. They have already started seeking consent from parents.
If your child is aged 2, 3 or 4 and not yet in reception, please take your child to the GP to be vaccinated.
The flu vaccination will not only:
- Protect your child The vaccine will help protect your child against flu and serious complications such as bronchitis and pneumonia
It will also:
- Protect you, your family and your friends Vaccinating your child will help protect more vulnerable family and friends
- Avoid costs If your child gets flu, you may have to take time off work or arrange alternative child care
And:
- No injection is needed for the vast majority of children The nasal spray is painless and easy to have
- It is better than having flu The nasal spray helps protect against flu, has been given to millions of children worldwide and has an excellent safety record
Our local Croydon school immunisation team and local GPs are operating fully and are there for you to ensure that your children receive all the necessary childhood vaccinations. Please make sure that all children in your care are fully vaccinated and safe from infection.
With my best wishes,
Rachel Flowers
Director of Public Health
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