Parents urged to ensure children have the flu jab to protect health services

While children are unlikely to become seriously ill with Covid-19 or be a major means of spreading the virus the college states that this is not the case with influenza. Some young children become very ill and a small minority need intensive care. Young children are also ‘super-spreaders’ of the flu virus which could put greater pressure on the NHS.

Professor Helen Bedford, immunisations lead for the RCPCH, said that, despite an increase in the uptake of immunisations at the end of last year, there has been a dip in take-up during the past few months. She is extremely concerned that any outbreak of, for example, measles or whooping cough could be highly dangerous.

The caution comes in response to a report by the Academy of Medical Sciences - ‘Preparing For A Challenging Winter’ - which warns of a ‘long hangover’ in terms of delayed and cancelled medical procedures as a result of the pandemic. It says that there is a risk of damage to children’s health care if there is a second peak in the virus and paediatrics is again paused to support adult services.

The report explicitly states that paediatric ICUs, theatres and recovery units should not be used as a substitute for critical care capacity, as was the case during the first peak.

‘Immunisation teams have been doing amazing work over the spring and summer to vaccinate children but are playing catch-up as schools vaccination programmes have faltered. It will be necessary to make extra resources available to rectify this, particularly if children are not back at school in September,’ said Prof Bedford. 

‘We are urging all parents and carers to make sure their children’s vaccinations are up-to-date now and to ensure their child receives the flu vaccine as soon as it becomes available.’

Dr Simon Clark, vice-president for policy, cautions that it is likely to be a ‘winter unlike any in recent memory’ and it is vital that the summer months are used to ‘shore up’ services so that the country is better able to cope. ‘It is also not just about hospital settings,’ he said. ‘Support for children and families at local and community level are in very bad shape, particularly in disadvantaged communities. Some councils have said they will struggle to pay for even statutory services.

‘Now is the time to invest seriously in these services to keep people safe and healthy and help ease the pressure on primary care and A&E. Similarly, core services in health visiting and community paediatrics must be built back up and stay in place, even in the event of a second peak.’