Flu Vaccination Clinics

Message from Tower Hamlets Vaccinations Team: We are running clinics in Tower Hamlets for any children that may have missed the opportunity to receive their school aged vaccinations in school. Please see the poster for more information.

DTP/ACWY Vaccinations

Dear Parent / Carer, 

Your child is due to receive their DTP/ACWY vaccinations, which will be given in school from January. Your child's school will confirm the dates. 

As part of the national immunisation programme, teenagers in Year 9 are required to get the 3-in-1 booster and the Meningitis ACWY vaccines.  These vaccines have been used for decades as an effective way of protecting teenagers against a whole range of dangerous diseases such as Tetanus, Diphtheria, Polio and Meningitis. 

Meningitis is an inflammation of the lining of the brain which causes long-term problems and can be fatal. Tetanus, Diphtheria & Polio are three separate diseases which can cause problems such as difficulty breathing and swallowing, muscle spasms and a high temperature. Not getting the vaccine could lead to your child becoming very unwell. You can read more about both vaccines and the diseases they protect against below:   

Parental consent  

To support us in protecting more teenagers against these serious diseases, we ask that parents or carers complete the online consent form.

It is important to do this even if you choose not to consent to your teenagers’ vaccination.  Please note, if you choose not to complete consent, this does not mean that you have refused the vaccine. You must complete a consent whether you wish for your child to have it or not.

Individuals with confirmed or suspected strep A should not attend school

If someone has the symptoms of a strep A infection, they should not attend school. Symptomatic individuals should not return to school until they have been taking antibiotics for 24 hours. If no antibiotics have been administered, the individual will be infectious for two to three weeks and should not attend school during this period.

Symptoms of a strep A infection

Common symptoms of strep A include:

• flu-like symptoms, such as a high temperature, swollen glands or an aching body
• sore throat (strep throat or tonsillitis)
• a rash that feels rough, like sandpaper (scarlet fever)
• scabs and sores (impetigo)
• pain and swelling (cellulitis)
• severe muscle aches
• nausea and vomiting

Most strep A infections are not serious and can be treated with antibiotics.

LBTH Public Health Update: Scarlet Fever

As you may have heard in the news, there have been higher number of cases of Group A strep this year than usual. The bacteria usually causes a mild infection producing sore throats or scarlet fever that can be easily treated with antibiotics. In very rare circumstances, this bacteria can get into the bloodstream (sepsis) and cause serious illness – called invasive Group A strep (iGAS). This is still uncommon; however, it is important that parents are on the lookout for symptoms and see a doctor as quickly as possible so that their child can be treated and we can stop the infection becoming serious. Make sure parents talk to a health professional if their child is showing signs of deteriorating after a bout of scarlet fever, a sore throat, or a respiratory infection.

For more information on scarlet fever please check the NHS website.

In very rare circumstances, this bacteria can get into the bloodstream and cause serious illness – called invasive Group A strep (iGAS). This is still uncommon; however, it is important that parents are on the lookout for symptoms and see a doctor as quickly as possible so that their child can be treated and we can stop the infection becoming serious. Make sure you talk to a health professional if your child is showing signs of deteriorating after a bout of scarlet fever, a sore throat, or a respiratory infection.

As a parent, if you feel that your child seems seriously unwell, you should trust your own judgement. Contact NHS 111 or your GP if:

• your child is getting worse
• your child is feeding or eating much less than normal
• your child has had a dry nappy for 12 hours or more or shows other signs of dehydration
• your baby is under 3 months and has a temperature of 38°C, or is older than 3 months and has a temperature of 39°C or higher
• your child feels hotter than usual when you touch their back or chest, or feels sweaty
• your child is very tired or irritable

Call 999 or go to A&E if:

• your child is having difficulty breathing – you may notice grunting noises or their tummy sucking under their ribs
• there are pauses when your child breathes
• your child’s skin, tongue or lips are blue
• your child is floppy and will not wake up or stay awake

School-aged Immunisations Clinics

Has your child missed any of their school age vaccinations?

NHS England and Vaccination UK are running catch up clinics in your area for the following vaccinations:

• Flu Vaccinations: Reception – Year 6
• HPV: Year 8 -Year 13
• DTP & MeningitisACWY: Year 9 - Year 13
• MMR: Reception – Year 13
• Polio Booster: 6- 9 Years Old

If you would like to attend, please either email us at appointments@v-uk.co.uk or call on 020 7613 9422.

You may need to complete a conset form before a vaccination can take place. If you need these forms in a langauge other than English, they are available to download.