Thousands more children to be offered free flu vaccine

The vaccination campaign by NHS England and Public Health England is being rolled out to include more children this year in a bid to curb the spread of the illness.

Children aged two to four can get the vaccination from their GP.

Those in school Years 1, 2 and 3 will be offered the free nasal spray vaccination at school.

It is the first time those in Year 3 have been offered the immunisation.

Giving a child the nasal spray will immunise them against the virus while helping to protect the wider community, health officials said.

Millions of parents are being urged to take up the flu vaccination for their children.

• Flu can be much more dangerous for children than many parents realise, and when children get flu, they tend to spread it around the whole family.

          Every year, thousands of children have flu and it is not uncommon for them to be admitted to hospital.

          The single best way to help protect your children, and the rest of the family, is to get them vaccinated. For most, it is just a quick, easy and painless nasal spray.