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22 September 2020

Dear parent/carer

Your child’s annual nasal flu spray is now due

The Kent and Medway School Immunisation Team will be visiting your child’s school on 12/11/20.

Please complete the online consent form marking whether you consent or decline consent at https://www.kentcht.nhs.uk/forms/imms-consent-form/  before 09/11/20.

To access the consent form you will need to enter your child’s school unique reference number (URN) which is below

School URN: 140012

Please note the online consent form will close at midnight on the above date, after which your child will not be vaccinated in school – we cannot accept late consents.  However, you can call us to book your child into a community clinic.

Please note that someone from our team may telephone you to discuss the online consent process if we do not hear from you. Please ensure that your contact information on the consent form is up to date and always ensure you notify your GP of any changes to your address and phone number.

The nasal flu spray is a pain-free, quick and simple spray up the nose. Having the vaccine will help protect your child from what can be a very nasty illness in children.

It will 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.

This year, helping to protect them against flu is particularly important if COVID-19 is still circulating because people at risk from flu are also vulnerable to the complications of COVID-19.

Cont/d

Even if your child had the flu spray last year, it is advisable to have it again this year because flu viruses are constantly changing.

Please visit our website www.kentcht.nhs.uk/service/immunisation-team/  to access a leaflet explaining the flu vaccination programme, also available by here:  Protecting_Child_Against_Flu_DL_leaflet_2020.pdf

This leaflet includes details about the small number of children for whom the nasal vaccine is not appropriate. If you have any further queries, please contact the Immunisation Service on kchft.cyp-immunisationteam@nhs.net or call us on 0300 123 5205.

Kent and Medway Immunisation Team have produced a short animation film which explains the PPE our teams will be wearing -  you may like to share this with your child just before the team’s visit to the school. https://vimeo.com/454024720/2c2c81c05d

Yours sincerely

Kent and Medway Immunisation Team

Please note:

If your child becomes wheezy or has their asthma medication increased after you return the form, please contact the Immunisation Service on 0300 123 5205.

In addition, this season an inactivated vaccine may be offered to those children whose parents refuse the live attenuated influenza nasal flu vaccines(LAIV) due to the porcine gelatine content. If your child is in an at risk health groups or unable to receive the LAIV (nasal flu) please contact the Immunisation Service on 0300 123 5205 to book an appointment at a community clinic for an alternative flu vaccine The alternative flu vaccine is unlikely to be available until November

If your child is in an at risk health group they may also receive an invite letter from the GP. If your child is vaccinated by the GP please inform us as soon as possible.

Covid -19

Due to the Covid -19 pandemic our school based vaccination sessions are likely to look different to the sessions that we would normally hold in schools. We would like to reassure you that Kent Community Health Foundation Trust Immunisation Team follows government guidelines and regulations around the social distancing and infection prevention and control, including wearing the required PPE.