Influenza (Flu)

The flu vaccination is offered each winter to certain groups considered at higher risk of serious illness from influenza. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation undertakes detailed research and investigations to determine the cohorts for each programme. The Isle of Man follows and uses the same set of detailed information produced by JVCI for the delivery of local programmes to fit in with our services.

Flu vaccination programme 2026 to 2027

Eligibility

The following cohorts, based on the advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), are announced and authorised to be eligible to receive a flu vaccination:

From 1 September 2026

• Pregnant women
  
  
• All children aged 2 or 3 years on 31 August 2026
  
  
• Primary school and secondary school-aged children (from reception to year 11)
  
  
• Individuals 17 years and over attending a special education needs (SEN) school and who are in a clinical risk group may also be vaccinated alongside their peers
  
  
• All children in clinical risk groups aged from 6 months to less than 18 years (as defined by the Green Book, Influenza Chapter)

From 1 October 2026

• Those aged 65 years and over
  
  
• Those aged 18 years to under 65 years in clinical risk groups (as defined by the Green Book, Influenza Chapter)
  
  
• Those in long-stay residential care homes
  
  
• Homelessness (defined as 'rough sleepers' and those using homeless hostels or night-shelters)
  
  
• Carers in receipt of carer's allowance, or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person
  
  
• Close contacts of immunocompromised individuals
  
  
• Frontline workers in a social care setting without an employer-led occupational health scheme, including those working for a registered residential care or nursing home, registered domiciliary care providers, voluntary managed hospice providers and those that are employed by those who receive direct payments (personal budgets), or Personal Health budgets, such as personal assistants

Nasal Flu vaccination programme for children

Five reasons to have the flu vaccine

1. Protect your child
   The vaccine will help protect your child against flu and serious complications such as bronchitis and pneumonia
   
   
2. Protect you, your family and friends
   Vaccinating your child will help protect more vulnerable friends and family
   
   
3. No injection needed
   The nasal spray is painless and easy to have
   
   
4. It’s 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
   
   
5. Avoid costs
   If your child gets flu, you may have to take time off work or arrange alternative childcare

Eligible children

The flu vaccine is offered free to:

• Children aged two or three years old (on 31 August before flu vaccinations start in the autumn)
  
  
• School-aged children (Reception to Year 11)
  
  
• Children with a health condition that puts them at greater risk from flu

Further information on which children are eligible each year is available on the Vaccination webpages.

Why your child should have the flu vaccine

Flu can be a very unpleasant illness in children causing fever, extreme tiredness, aching muscles and joints, stuffy nose, dry cough and sore throat. Children usually begin to feel better within about a week.

Complications of flu include acute bronchitis, painful ear infections and pneumonia. Some children may need to go to hospital for treatment, including intensive care.

The benefits of the vaccine

Having the vaccine will help protect your child from what can be a very nasty illness in children. Children under the age of five years have one of the highest rates of hospital admissions due to flu.

Having the vaccine will also reduce the chance of others in your family, who could be at greater risk from flu, such as grandparents or those with long-term health conditions, getting flu from your child.

It can help you avoid having to take time off work, or other activities, to look after your sick child or if you become sick yourself.

Vaccine effectiveness

Flu vaccine is the best protection we have against this unpredictable virus. The protection that children get from vaccination has been consistently higher than for adults.

There are different strains of flu virus and the most likely strains that will cause flu are identified in advance of the flu season. Vaccines are then made to match them as closely as possible. They will usually give some protection even if the match is not perfect.

Flu viruses can change every year, so the vaccine is usually updated each year. And protection from the vaccine may fade with time. For this reason, we recommend that your child is vaccinated against flu again this year, even if they were vaccinated last year.

Who will give your child their vaccination

Children aged two and three years old (age on 31 August before flu vaccinations start in the autumn) will be given the vaccination at their GP surgery, usually by the practice nurse.

School-aged children will be offered the vaccination in school, with further opportunities to get vaccinated for anyone who misses the session at school.

Children who are home educated will be offered the vaccine if they are in an eligible age group. Parents can complete an electronic consent form via the link in social media, press campaigns and via the Flu Immunisation Consent Form. 

How the vaccine will be given

For most children, it is given as a nasal spray. If the nasal spray is not suitable for a child, an injection can be given instead, usually into the muscle in the upper arm.

How the nasal spray works

The nasal spray contains viruses that have been weakened to prevent them from causing flu but will help your child build up immunity. This means your child will be better able to fight off flu.

The vaccine is absorbed really quickly in the nose so, even if your child sneezes immediately after having had the spray, there’s no need to worry that it has not worked.

Side effects of the vaccine

Children may develop a runny or blocked nose, headache, general tiredness and some loss of appetite. However, these are much milder than developing flu or complications associated with flu. Serious side-effects are uncommon.

Why the vaccine cannot cause flu

No, the vaccine cannot cause flu because the viruses in it have been weakened to prevent this from happening.

Children with a health condition

Children with certain health conditions, even if well managed, are at higher risk of severe complications if they get flu. It is especially important that these children are vaccinated.

These conditions include:

• Serious lung problems, for example asthma needing regular inhaled or oral steroids
  
  
• Serious heart conditions
  
  
• Kidney or liver disease
  
  
• Diabetes
  
  
• A learning disability
  
  
• Immunosuppression due to disease or treatment, for example chemotherapy or radiotherapy treatment for cancer or long-term steroid use
  
  
• Problems with the spleen, either because the spleen has been removed (asplenia) or doesn’t work properly, for example because of sickle cell or coeliac disease
  
  
• A condition that affects the nervous system such as cerebral palsy

These children should have a flu vaccination every year from the age of six months onwards. Most will have the nasal spray vaccine, but it is not recommended for children under the age of two years.

Children under two, and those for whom the nasal spray is not suitable for medical reasons, will be offered a flu vaccine injection. If your child has any health condition listed earlier in this section but is not in one of the age groups being offered the vaccine in school, it is important that you contact the Manx Care Vaccination Service on 111 / +44 1624 822111 or vaccinations@gov.im to arrange an appointment.

If you are not sure whether your child needs a flu vaccination or you need more advice, speak to your practice nurse, GP, Manx Care Vaccination Service or health visitor.

When the vaccine will be given

For two- and three-year-olds, you should receive an invitation for your child to have it at their GP surgery in the autumn. Alternatively, you can contact them directly to make an appointment.

For school-aged children a vaccination session will be held at school during the autumn term. The school-aged immunisation team will contact you via the school.

If your child has any health condition listed earlier in this section but is not in one of the age groups being offered the vaccine in school, it is important that you contact your GP surgery to arrange an appointment.

Children who should not have the nasal vaccine

As children with pre-existing medical conditions may be more vulnerable to complications of flu, it is especially important that they are vaccinated. Children may not be able to have the nasal vaccine if they:

• Are currently wheezy or have been wheezy in the past 72 hours – they may be advised to reattend for the nasal flu at a later date or be offered the injected flu vaccine
  
  
• Have needed intensive care due to asthma or require regular oral steroids (children in this group are recommended to seek the advice of their specialist and may need to have the nasal vaccine in hospital)
  
  
• Have needed intensive care due to egg allergic anaphylaxis (children in this group are recommended to seek the advice of their specialist and may need to have the nasal vaccine in hospital)
  
  
• Have a condition, or are on treatment, that severely weakens their immune system or have someone in their household who needs isolation because they are severely immunosuppressed
  
  
• Are allergic to a previous dose of the vaccine or any other components of the vaccine (See the Patient Information Leaflet for a list of the ingredients) 

If your child can't have the nasal flu vaccine, they should have the flu vaccine by injection. If you are unsure whether your child should get the injected vaccine or the nasal vaccine check with your GP surgery or the Manx Care Vaccination Service on 111 / +44 1624 822111.

Children who have been vaccinated with the nasal spray should avoid household contact with people with very severely weakened immune systems, such as those who have just had a bone marrow transplant, for around two weeks following vaccination.

Flu vaccine and other vaccines

The flu vaccine can be given at the same time as all the other routine childhood vaccines. The vaccination may be delayed if your child has a fever. Also, if a child has a heavily blocked or runny nose, it might stop the vaccine getting into their system. In this case, their flu vaccination can be postponed until their nasal symptoms have cleared up. Sometimes an injected vaccine may be offered instead.

The nasal vaccine and gelatine derived from pigs (porcine gelatine)

The nasal vaccine contains a very small amount of gelatine from pigs (porcine gelatine) which is used in a range of many essential medicines. The gelatine helps to keep the vaccine stable so that it is able to work properly.

The nasal spray is the preferred vaccine for children, and it is quick and easy to administer. It may also be better at reducing the spread of flu in the community. If you do not accept medicines or vaccines that contain porcine gelatine, a flu vaccine injection that does not contain gelatine is available.

Further information

Visit the Vaccination webpages for more information. Talk to your GP, practice nurse, or your health visitor if you have any further questions.

Updated September 2025.