parents divided on seasonal flu vaccination for children as young as 2 years old

The High Authority for Health (HAS) recommends vaccinating against the flu all minors from the age of 2 in an opinion issued on Thursday February 9. Until now, vaccination against this disease is mainly reserved for the oldest people over 65 years old.

Parents are divided on the interest of this vaccination for the youngest. If it were to be done again Charlotte would not hesitate. “I am for vaccination”, explains this mother of two girls aged 9 and 14. His eldest has already been vaccinated against the flu: “When she was very young, there was a big flu epidemic, and we vaccinated her. Today, my daughter is doing very well. It was not a vaccine that was a problem for her.”

“We have a long history of hindsight”

Other parents are more skeptical, without being anti-vaccination, but wonder what is the interest of this injection for their children. “I am not necessarily convinced, there is always a little apprehension”explains a mother. “I don’t know if it’s really necessarylaunches another. I’m not sure we’re all that affected by the flu.”

However, the flu circulates strongly among young people and can end up infecting grandparents. “The older you are, the more the flu can be accompanied by bacterial superinfections which can be harmful for the elderly”, recalls pediatrician Jérome Valleteau de Mouillac. Get vaccinated to protect your grandparents without running the slightest risk, assures the doctor: “We have a long history because these vaccines were carried out in patients at risk. If there was the slightest severe side effect, we would know about it.” And to facilitate vaccination in the little ones, the health authorities recommend a vaccine which is administered by nasal spray.