Millions of children are at risk of contracting potentially lethal diseases as some vaccination rates in England have been falling for the past two years, the health watchdog NICE has warned.

In some areas of the country, although fewer than 1 in 5 children are unvaccinated against diseases such as polio and diphtheria, experts have warned that unless uptake rates improve there is a risk of these diseases making a comeback.

Last year only a quarter of local authorities met World Health Organization targets to vaccinate 95% of children against measles, mumps and rubella.

Around 3 million children and young people may have missed a mumps, measles and rubella (MMR) vaccine. ‘With so many children open to exposure we are at risk of a serious outbreak,’ warns NICE.

Remember, vaccinations don’t just protect the people receiving them – vaccination also protects all of us by eliminating infections from the country. So make sure your children get theirs.

There are two types of flu vaccine available for children in – a nasal spray and an injected vaccine, so who should get which?

• Children under 6 months are too young to be vaccinated (although expectant mothers aren’t!)
• Children aged 6 months to 2 years get the injected vaccine – two doses four weeks apart – although they are only eligible if they are in an ‘at risk’ group
• All children aged 2-6 on 31 August 2015 are all eligible flu vaccine and should get the nasal spray unless there are medical reasons (severely asthmatic or immunocompromised) for giving them an injected flu vaccine.
• Children aged 7-17 are eligible for vaccination if they are in an ‘at risk’ group, and will usually get the nasal spray.

At risk children are those with long term health conditions such as asthma and other respiratory diseases, liver, kidney and neurological conditions including learning disabilities, even if well managed.

Ask one of our pharmacists if you are not sure.

Shingles is an infection of a nerve and the area of skin around it. It is caused by the herpes varicella-zoster virus, which also causes chickenpox, and it can be quite unpleasant!

After a chickenpox infection, the virus can lie dormant in the nervous tissue but may reappear following reactivation as shingles. It is possible to have shingles more than once.

A universal shingles vaccination programme started in September 2013 which aims to reduce the incidence and severity of shingles disease in older people.

If you were born between 2 September 1942 and 1 September 1945 (ie aged 70-72) or 2 September 1935 and 1 September 1937 (ie aged 78 or 79) then you are eligible for vaccination this year.

Check with one of our pharmacists if you need to know more about which vaccinations you are entitled to as part of the NHS Immunisation Programme.

The NHS seasonal flu vaccination campaign kicked off in September and for the first time community pharmacies across England can offer the jab on the NHS to eligible patients.

You are eligible for flu vaccination if you are:

• aged 65 years and over ( or reach 65 by 31 March 2016);
• a pregnant woman
• a carer
• aged 18-65 with a long term medical condition (eg asthma, COPD, heart failure, a weakened immune system)

So if you are eligible, check us out. Rakesh Patel from Ackers Chemists talks about how to access your jab below: