Children under two could get nasal flu vaccine

Ros said she wanted her son Eddie to try the vaccine ahead of winter

Parents are being encouraged to get their toddlers involved in a new clinical trial aimed at helping lower the age of flu vaccine eligibility from two-years-old to one.

FluSNIFF is being led by University Hospital Southampton and will be offered around Berkshire, Hampshire and Oxfordshire at certain GP practices and hospitals.

The aim is to test if the nasal spray flu vaccine, currently offered to children aged two and over, can be safely extended to younger toddlers.

Ros said she wanted her son Eddie to try the vaccine as it was "a lot nicer" than an injection.

"I got a text to say we're rolling out the vaccine, so a bit of extra protection just makes sense especially with winter coming up," she said.

Sophie added her son Reggie also tried the vaccine and said it was "absolutely fantastic, easy and convenient and didn't have to book an appointment".

Dr Alasdair Munro, a paediatrician and clinical researcher at the university, said the spray contained a weakened version of the flu virus and cannot cause serious illness.

He added that children aged younger than two were "actually at the highest risk from having severe illness from flu".

"The only reason we haven't been able to give them the vaccine up until this point is simply that there hasn't been enough data for the regulators to allow it," he said.

"So this trial is looking at getting this additional data that we need so that hopefully in the future we'll be able to offer the vaccine to children younger than two."

Dr Monro added that families involved in the trial would either receive a vaccine or a placebo, but would not be told which they were given.

"One of the most important benefits of vaccinating older children is that we know viruses like influenza pass round a lot in schools," he said.

"So if you can give those children protection, you're stopping the virus from transmitting more widely and particularly from reaching more elderly people."

Sophie said the vaccine was "fantastic" for her son Reggie

Flu affects people's lungs and can lead to severe infections, pneumonia, or even intensive care for some children.

The NHS offers the nasal flu vaccine, called Fluenz, to children aged two and above.

Younger toddlers currently only have access to flu protection through an injection – and only if they are considered high risk.

The study is being partly funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

Professor Saul Faust, co-chief investigator for the trial and director of the NIHR Southampton Clinical Research Facility, said if successful it could lead to the vaccine "being available to all children aged 12 months and over in the next few years".