Protecting Children, Families and Communities:

Why Flu Vaccination Matters This Winter

As children across West Berkshire return to school, a new reminder from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) highlights an important health message for families: last winter, only 55.5% of primary school children received their flu vaccination, meaning around two million eligible children missed out on protection against the virus.

Staying healthy is about more than individual care. It is about protecting our families, supporting our communities, and helping children thrive in school. The annual flu vaccination programme plays a vital role in achieving this.

Flu is often dismissed as a common winter illness, but it can cause serious complications in children, including bronchitis and pneumonia, and leads to thousands of hospital admissions each year.

The good news is that vaccination offers strong protection. Evidence from last year's flu season showed that the vaccine helped prevent 52% of GP visits and 68% of hospitalisations among children aged 2 to 17.

Many children are offered a quick and painless nasal spray vaccine through their school, making it an easy way for families to access protection, and vaccinating children not only helps keep them healthy, but also reduces the spread of flu to more vulnerable people, including younger siblings, grandparents, and those with underlying health conditions.

For families in West Berkshire, this is an opportunity to help children stay well, keep attending school, and avoid disruption to learning and family life during the winter months. Returning consent forms promptly when they are sent home from school can help ensure children do not miss their vaccination appointment.

Healthwatch West Berkshire believes that good health outcomes are built through partnership. By working together across schools, healthcare services, local communities and families, we can support healthier neighbourhoods and give children the best possible start through the winter season.

If your child is eligible for a flu vaccination, we encourage you to consider taking up the offer and speak to your GP, school immunisation team, or healthcare professional if you have any questions. A simple vaccine today could help protect your child, your family, and the wider West Berkshire community this winter.

Find out more about the vaccination on the NHS Page Children's flu vaccine - NHS