It’s a UK article, talking about what we do in the UK. Even most adults don’t have the flu vaccine. I had my first one last year at 46. My husband has never had one.
I just checked the NHS website and it does say it’s offered. That hasn’t been my experience though.
No idea. I’ll let you and the BBC sort that one. 
Or maybe it’s more one-on-one? Maybe households with highly vulnerable family members are advised directly by their doctors they should all get the flu vaccine?
Our pediatrician has always recommended the flu vaccine but never specifically mentioned it as a means of protecting the community in general. But that seems pretty obvious now with all we’ve learned in the past 1.5 years.
ETA: Apparently there’s quite a bit of asymptomatic flu out there as well. The novelty of Covid was it having so many with severe outcomes AND so many asymptomatic cases. Apparently the drastic range is what caught them off guard, not the asymptomatic aspect on its own.
I didn’t expect you to know the answer 
I just thought it was weird.
I think it is just saying they have it if they need to protect their grandparents?
The nasal vaccine is a live vaccine isn’t it?
All 5 of us get flu shots. My understanding is that getting flu shots protects the elderly and children under 18, who are most likely to be hospitalized and die from complications. When my twins were born at the beginning of flu season, it was highly recommended that my DH and I get the flu shot to protect them. We have gotten them ever since, especially with my job. Our pediatrician always recommends them and has explained to my kids why they are getting it. To protect themselves and others. This is why we don’t really have an issue vaccinating our kids for Covid.
I’ve no idea, I didn’t know it existed and didn’t read up on the actual vaccine. Maybe it is saying that but I’ve never known it to happen. The website said it was offered routinely to all kids, which again, is not my experience.
Really not a thing here. There are people who are recommended to get one if they have serious underlying health conditions. But my DH is one of them and all they do is write and say he can have one if he wants. They’ve never suggested any of us should get one. And they don’t suggest it to families of newborns either, though maybe they would with parents of preemies.
I don’t think it is saying it is routine for all kids:
“There is another potential benefit to vaccinating children - it could save other people’s lives.
This is an approach that is already used for flu. British children aged from two to around 12 are given the nasal spray, largely to protect their grandparents, each year.”
I think they are saying it is an approach that is used to protect grandparents but not for all children.
Yeah but what I’m saying is that it isn’t what the website says, and neither what the website says or what the article says happens in practice. I didn’t mean to start a big debate - I just thought it was an odd thing to say since it doesn’t happen and they don’t seem to have intention for it to happen with covid vaccines either. Either to protect kids themselves - and are 16 and 17yos strictly kids anyway? - or to protect vulnerable family members.
Here is what our CDC gives as reasons. Not a debate, but the differences between countries.
Our countries are very different. If we think we have flu for instance, we are told to stay away from the doctors. We don’t go and get tested and we don’t have Tamiflu (though I see that mentioned a lot I’m still unclear as to whether the sick person takes it or others fo as a preventative). And obviously yes, the attitudes to vaccination are different. I would like to see 12-17yos vaccinated - the government wouldn’t, at this time.
You are supposed to take Tamiflu at the first sign of symptoms. It lessons symptoms and is not a preventative.
They don’t do a lot of flu testing here unless you are hospitalized. Or your doctor just decides to. I don’t tend to go to the doctor for the flu. But I haven’t had a bad case of the flu in years. If I have had it, it’s been mild due to getting vaccinated.
I’ve only had it once, it must have been 20 years ago.
In my family the grandparents never go the flu vaccine until the grandchildren were born. The grandparents got the vaccine to protect their grandchildren.
I have my kids get flu shots to protect themselves. My reading of the data is that a flu shot substantially reduces a child’s odds of serious illness.
I’m not sure that is correct. I think Tamiflu is sometimes prescribed to family members (especially close caretakers) if someone in the household has a positive flu test.
Nobody gets a flu vaccine in my family or anyone I know to be honest. Except last year when I saw the nurse for something quite unrelated and she told me I was entitled to a free one. I wouldn’t have made an appointment but since I was there I had it.
Just heard one of DS16’s close friends has tested positive. It’s actually the first time he has been exposed except when we had it (he had no symptoms so we couldn’t get him tested). We’ve done a rapid test - we have them at home, we’re all encouraged to test twice a week - and if it’s positive we’ll get him a PCR tomorrow. I actually do assume he had it when we did so I think it will be negative.
ETA yep negative.
Yes it appears that is so. I have not heard of it used in that way.
So glad it’s negative!
Actually it can be taken to prevent Flu. When my son has both Flu A and B back to back at the start of the pandemic, he was given Tamiflu at the urgent care. After our family doctor got the report, he prescribed it for the rest of us to prevent the whole house getting sick at a time when getting into a doctor might be hard. It prevents virus replication, which can prevent one from getting sick if you’re exposed to it.
Edit: @davej beat me to it. I should’ve read to the end of the thread, lol!