Chris Seeks Rationale For Annual Flu Vaccination For Children

Christopher Chope Conservative, Christchurch

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the Government's reasoning is for its policy of annually vaccinating children aged between 2 and 10 years against flu; and if he will publish the cost benefit analysis for this policy.

Maggie Throup The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Health and Social Care

This policy is based on the recommendation of the independent expert body, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). Flu vaccination provides individual protection to the children who receive the vaccine. As children have a role in the transmission of flu, vaccination reduces the likelihood of passing on the virus to others who may be at higher risk from flu-related complications. This reduces the number of flu-related general practitioner consultations and hospital admissions for children and the wider community.

The JCVI’s statement on the extension of the flu vaccination programme to children and the impact and cost-effectiveness analysis used to inform its recommendation is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/jcvi-statement-on-the-routine-annual-influenza-vaccination-programme

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