CHILDREN aged two-eight years can be now protected against flu with a simple, free NHS nasal spray vaccine, following the latest extension to the vaccination programme for young people.

Eight-year-olds are being added to the programme this year, as part of a gradual extension of protection against the virus for children.

The vaccine, which involves no needles, is now available to children who were aged two-eight years on August 31 this year.

Public Health Wales is urging parents of eligible children to ensure they have the vaccine, which helps protect against catching flu, as well as helping to prevent the spread of a potentially serious, highly contagious illness.

Influenza can affect children severely and in recent years in Wales, children and adults have been admitted to hospital and intensive care units with flu.

For most children the recommended flu vaccination is a nasal spray, which is quick, safe, and completely pain free.

“This vaccination is really important. Young children are particularly at risk of serious complications of influenza because their immune systems are not yet fully developed so they can’t fight off infections like influenza as well as older children and adults can," said Sarah Aitken, director of public health for Aneurin Bevan University Health Board.

“Influenza is easily spread within families and in places like nurseries, playgroups and schools, toddlers and children are often in very close proximity to each other and especially susceptible to any circulating germs.

"Vaccination can help protect individual children from flu, and also help stop it spreading to the wider community.”

For two-and three-year-olds, the vaccine will generally be given at their GP surgery, and for children in reception class and school years one-four, it will be given at their school.

Parents/guardians are required to give consent before any child receives the flu nasal spray vaccine.

For most healthy children, influenza can mean several miserable days at home in bed.

However, it can sometimes result in serious complications, especially for very young children and those with long term health problems, such as moderate or severe asthma, for whom it can even be life threatening.

In addition to children, other groups strongly advised to get vaccinated are pregnant women, people from six months of age with long term health conditions, people aged 65 and over, and carers.

Health and social care workers are also advised to have the flu vaccination to protect themselves and the people they care for.

For further information, visit www.beatflu.org or follow Beat Flu on Facebook and Twitter.