Nursery World - Flu vaccine will be offered to all children

All children in the UK are to be offered the annual flu vaccine, to reduce the spread of the virus.

The health secretary Andrew Lansley has announced plans to extend the flu vaccination programme to all children from two to 17-years-old.

Up to nine million children will be offered the flu vaccination on the NHS in the form of a nasal spray from as early as 2014.

The move comes after the health secretary asked the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), a body of independent experts who advise the Government, to look at whether the flu vaccination programme should be extended.

Currently only children in at-risk groups, such as those with asthma, heart conditions or cerebral palsy, are eligible to receive the flu vaccine on the NHS.

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