Nasal Flu Vaccine for children – myths and facts
The nasal flu vaccination is being offered to children in schools again this year and we wanted to take this opportunity to dispel some of the myths associated with it. Here are 5 top myths and the facts behind them.
#1 Myth and fact
- Myth: Children who receive the vaccine will actively ‘shed’ live flu virus for several days or even weeks after vaccination, thus putting others at risk of infection, particularly those with weakened immune systems
- Fact: Although vaccinated children are known to shed virus a few days after vaccination, the vaccine virus that is shed is less able to spread from person to person than the natural infection. The amount of virus shed is normally below the levels needed to pass on infection to others and the virus does not survive for long outside of the body
#2 Myth and fact
- Myth: I should take my unvaccinated child out of school during the period when the vaccine is being offered and in the following weeks so that they don’t catch the flu from the vaccinated children
- Fact: Excluding children from school during the period when the vaccine is being offered, or in the following weeks, is not necessary. The only exception to this would be the tiny number of children who are extremely immunocompromised (for example those who have just had a bone marrow transplant). These children are normally advised not to attend school anyway because of the much higher risk of being in contact with other infections, including natural flu infection, that spread in schools
#3 Myth and fact
- Myth: The flu vaccine can cause serious side effects
- Fact: 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
#4 Myth and fact
- Myth: The flu vaccine can give me the flu
- Fact: The vaccine cannot cause flu because the viruses in it have been weakened to prevent this from happening.
#5 Myth and fact
- Myth: The flu vaccine does not work
- Fact: Flu vaccine is the best protection we have against this unpredictable virus. In the last few years, the protection that children get from vaccination has been consistently higher than for adults.
Find out more about the nasal flu vaccine and the Isle of Man Flu programme.
