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Source: Nursing Times

05/30/2012

The U.K. Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization says it would be cost effective to expand the childhood immunization program to ensure school-age children receive the flu vaccine, but a major expansion of the program would be cost prohibitive and likely would not receive full support from the public and health professionals. The committee cautions that an expansion must not negatively impact existing immunization programs and that there are not enough school nurses to handle such an expansion. The committee recommends that a large-scale expansion be delayed until England’s health and public health system restructuring is completed. Therefore, the committee says it cannot recommend an extension of the program at this time. Only pregnant women, people over age 65, and adults and children with serious medical conditions have access to the flu vaccine through the program right now.