Low numbers of Lincolnshire toddlers have had flu vaccine — with Spalding, Skegness and Gainsborough flagged as area of concern

Health bosses are urging parents to ensure their child is protected against flu as new figures show alarmingly low numbers of toddlers have been vaccinated.

Skegness (15%), Spalding (22%) and and Gainsborough (25%) are the areas where the issue is most acute — but across the county as a whole just one third of eligible children have had their nasal spray immunisation.

Now Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board is hoping that parents and guardians will get their child’s annual vaccination before winter hits — and say they are seeing an earlier flu season with rising numbers of children having the illness.

Many school aged children will have already received their flu vaccination at school or be due to receive it now that half-term has finished through the School Age Immunisation Service (SAIS).

Steph Hart, ICB Assistant Locality Lead – Vaccination Programme, said: “Getting your child protected against flu is vitally important. In Lincolnshire and across the country we are seeing an earlier flu season this year with the number of flu cases rising at a sharper rate than this time last year, with the highest rate being in those aged 5-14 years-olds.

“Vaccinations are a key defence against flu and various other diseases and can play an important role in lessening the impact of these diseases on you, your child, and your wider family.”

This autumn, all schoolchildren from reception to year 11 will be offered a flu vaccination at school and most will be offered the nasal spray flu vaccine, which is a quick and painless way to give the flu vaccination.

However, parents and guardians need to give their consent for their child to be vaccinated. This can be done by completing an online consent form, which is usually sent via email to parents and guardians by their child’s school.

Steph added: “Getting your child vaccinated is the best way to protect them, if they’re not vaccinated they’re not protected. It’s also worth remembering that children with long-term health conditions are at a higher risk of complications from flu, so it’s important they are vaccinated, either at school or by booking an appointment at their GP practice.”

You can find out more about the children’s flu vaccine here Children's flu vaccine - NHS. You can book a free flu vaccination for your child aged 2 or 3 years (as of 31 August 2025 – i.e. born between 1 September 2021 and 31 August 2023) at their GP practice by contacting them directly or a participating Community Pharmacy by booking online here http://www.nhs.uk/bookflu.

The pharmacy finder can be used to find walk-in appointments.