Dear Parent/Guardian
Through the HSE vaccination services the McCabes Pharmacy vaccination team will visit our school next week (date to be confirmed) and are offering your son/daughter the nasal flu vaccine.
The flu vaccine is recommended for all children aged 2-17 years.
The vaccine that your son/daughter will receive is called Fluenz Tetra. It is a safe and effective vaccine that is given as a nasal spray.
Please return a completed consent form to the main school office by Monday 6th December (we need to tell McCabes exactly how many vaccines to bring to school)
Please read the advice below which has been provided by McCabes Pharmacy:
All children can get a free nasal flu vaccine by visiting their GP or local Pharmacist however, this year we are also facilitating the distribution of this free flu vaccine for students (aged 12-17) in school.
The HSE advise that getting the flu vaccine will protect your child against infection with flu which can sometimes cause complications in children. Complications of flu in children include:
• Pneumonia
• Bronchitis
• Rarely inflammation of the brain (encephalitis)
Vaccinating your child benefits them and also benefits their community as children can spread flu to those around them including those who may be older or have underlying medical conditions.
Please find attached:
• An information leaflet about the nasal flu vaccine in children
• A consent form for vaccination (Hard copies of the consent form are available at the main office and Ms. Ward’s office on the top floor)
Please read the information leaflet, complete the consent form and return it to the school with your child by Monday 6th December.
You can find Irish translations of the information leaflet and consent form on the HSE website at https://bit.ly/PilotLAIV2122
You can find further information at www.hse.ie/flu or you can speak to your McCabes Pharmacist.
If your child has already received a flu vaccine since September this year or has an appointment already arranged, please do not consent for your child to receive a flu vaccine in school.
If you consent for your son/daughter to have the flu vaccine in school and they subsequently get the flu vaccine 27 from their GP or Pharmacist please inform the schools immunisation team as they will not have access to this information.
There will be a small number of children not able to have the nasal spray flu vaccine because of preexisting medical conditions or treatments. They will be identified by the information provided by you on the attached consent form. If your child falls into this category, they should still be vaccinated against flu with an injected vaccine unless this vaccine is also contraindicated. The McCabe Pharmacy Immunisation team can arrange an appointment for this.
Furthermore, if there is any change in the medical conditions since the completion of the consent questionnaire, please contact the team on Telephone:
Email: thediamond@mccabespharmacy.com yellowwalls@mccabespharmacy.com
Phone: 01 8061883
Additionally, if you have any questions or concerns, members of the vaccination team are happy to help.
Yours sincerely,
Áine McCabe MPSI
McCabes Pharmacy, Malahide
