Foster carers: have kids in your care had vaccine

East Leicestershire and Rutland Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is reminding foster carers of children between the ages of two and seven to make sure those they care for have their free flu vaccination if they’re entitled. 

·         If you’re a foster carer of children aged two, three and four you will be contacted by your GP about getting them vaccinated before the winter.

·         If you don’t hear anything or want to know more about when and how your foster child will be vaccinated, contact your GP practice.

·         Children in school years one and two will be offered the flu vaccination as part of the NHS childhood vaccination programme.

If the child you care for is older than seven but has a long term condition then they are also eligible for a free flu vaccination to help protect them. Again contact your GP practice to check.

Coughs, colds and flu circulate rapidly in schools because children tend to have poorer hygiene than adults such as not washing their hands properly or covering their mouths when they cough or sneeze. Vaccinating your foster child will not only help to protect them against flu but will reduce the chance of spreading flu to others, especially the elderly, those with long term health conditions or weakened immune systems.