A PARENT has raised concerns over the timings of flu vaccinations at Oxfordshire schools.

The dad, who asked not to be named, said his children were not getting their jabs until late November.

He said: “The vaccine should be done a lot earlier, I have questioned doctors and nurses, and they all agree.

“How can we feel at ease after learning the flu vaccination can control Covid yet we are being deprived of the vaccine for our children?”

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Some have suggested that being vaccinated against the flu could reduce the impact of Covid-19.

The World Economic Forum said last month that flu vaccinations should be ‘a priority’.

A spokesperson for Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust said: “This year’s flu immunisation programme is the largest ever undertaken in the county, with more children than ever getting the opportunity to be protected from influenza.

“Oxford Health’s school nursing team began a 10-week programme to vaccinate more than 68,000 children in Oxfordshire against the flu on October 5 and will complete it in December.

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“Our team of 35 immunisers are visiting 358 primary and secondary schools ensuring that children in every corner of the county, from reception classes through to Year 7, are protected from the virus via a nasal spray.

“Because of the large number of schools, some vaccination sessions will be scheduled later in the autumn term.”

The spokesperson said peak flu season generally occurs in January or February, with NHS England seeking vaccinations be complete by then, adding children are also eligible to receive vaccinations at GPs if the school session is later in the season, parents prefer it, or they missed the session at school.