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Should all children be vaccinated against flu?
Last week the government announced that the national flu vaccination programme will be extended to all children in the UK.
Once the programme is up and running the vaccine will be offered to all children aged from two to around 17 years on the NHS.
The move follows recommendations from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which advises the Department of Health.
They recently concluded that while there were significant challenges involved in extending the programme, evidence suggested these were outweighed by the benefits that a comprehensive immunisation programme could bring.
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Readers' comments (12)
Anonymous | 30-Jul-2012 11:32 am
NO. The vaccine can be harmful as well as beneficial because of the toxic chemicals used as adjuvants, and even then immunity is not guaranteed.
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Michael Doyle | 31-Jul-2012 7:44 pm
Yes.
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Anonymous | 31-Jul-2012 11:58 pm
'will be offered', suggesting we still have a choice (in this case parents) to decide what is put into our/their bodies. I, for one, don't trust the ethics of drug companies.
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Anonymous | 1-Aug-2012 11:31 am
No, the immune system is deskilled by vaccines, contrary to pharma info.
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Sarah Christie | 2-Aug-2012 10:49 am
Children often pick up the virus at school and then pass it onto their family members. By vaccinating all children it will mean that vulnerable groups, such as pregnant women and older people, are less likely to catch the flu virus
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andy | 3-Aug-2012 10:14 am
People should have a choice and should understand the possible outcomes of making a particular decision. Then live with it. Although 'survival of the fittest' is a bit tough knowing we can help reduce + prevent, some people will suffer from others (in/)actions. Just hope people don't flock into hospitals with flu when they've been advised to stay AT HOME, otherwise it will spread there where patients are more at risk. If staff get flu then staffing levels will just get worse and should not be working. Sick ppl are more likely to die with flu than healthy ppl.
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Aaron Rudd | 3-Aug-2012 12:23 pm
A reasonable herd immunity amongst children seems appropriate, as others here have stated; they will mix with a reservior of potential carriers at school and so the fewer that come home having been infected is surely good as it protects other vulnerable groups.
Cost vs benefit, I'm not sure on - however the JCVI does say this is cost effective; "...it sets out how there could be 2,000 fewer deaths from flu each year if just 30% of children had a flu jab. There would also be 11,000 fewer hospitalisations as a result." (from the NHS choices website)
I certainly support children being vaccinated if they have regular contact with vulnerable people (the elderly, people with respiratory problems etc) or their parents are heathcare workers/have jobs working with vulerable people.
Also note that this might not be an injectable vaccine, but a nasal spray called Fluenz - so it's much less invasive and therefore less traumatic for kids to get this.
However, this isn't going to get going before 2014; so the whole thing could be a PR stunt to appear family friendly and will be convieniently forgotten later?
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Aaron Rudd | 3-Aug-2012 12:26 pm
if anyone is interested, https://www.wp.dh.gov.uk/transparency/files/2012/07/JCVI-statement-on-the-annual-influenza-vaccination-programme-25-July-2012.pdf
This outlines how the JCVI arrived at the conclusion that a child vaccination program is indicated.
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Sarah Stanley | 4-Aug-2012 10:04 am
I am on the whole very supportive of vaccinations for children, my son has them all and i have paid for him to have the Varicella vaccine not routinely given on the NHS.
I will have to think very hard about the Flu vaccine but I suspect I will end up agreeing.
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Anonymous | 4-Aug-2012 10:29 am
it might lead to over use of vaccines for just about every disease which comes along, old and new, comparable to disinfectants and antibiotics until people no longer have any resistance left at all which will then affect our genetic make up which is passed on to future generations.
life is also about taking risks and we cannot possibly insure ourselves against every eventuality. older generations have survived with fewer modern methods, are the young becoming too soft or are vaccines for everything the most sensible way forward?
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Anonymous | 4-Aug-2012 11:00 am
It is interesting what a simple question flushes out !
Here we seem to have supporters of the vaccine conspiracy theory.
One poster identifies a concept I have never heard of before which relates to "deskilling" the immune system and another poster who seems to have a belief concerning the "over use" of vaccines.
I hope these contributors are not Registered Nurses
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Anonymous | 4-Aug-2012 12:33 pm
Anonymous | 4-Aug-2012 11:00 am
so you think registered nurses should not be reflective and question the value of vaccines and their negative as well as their positive effects on the immune system as well as any potentially adverse side effects, or whether it should be up to parents or not, in the light of much controversy, to make decisions about vaccinations for their children and particularly the 'flu one currently under discussion?
This has nothing to do with a 'conspiracy theory' but rather rational thought, and in retort to your remarks one might even go as far as suggesting that hopefully the person who wrote this comment is not an RN, although I would not go as far as presuming to be so judgemental in such a destructive manner.
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