Mark Playne
- Oct 18, 2023

''SAFER TO WAIT' FLUENZ INFORMATION & TEMPLATE LETTER

Safer is Wait brought their leaflet and school's template letter for schools.

Their info and letter take a simpler approach to our previous templates, so Is worth adding to your repertoire.

DOWNLOAD THE ABOVE LEAFLET

The words from the leaflet

Safer to Wait

Protecting Children’s Health

The flu vaccine and our children

A call for caution from Safer to Wait

This autumn, the UK government will offer the nasal flu vaccine to all primary and secondary school children.

Flu can be unpleasant, but it is a relatively low-risk and short-lived illness for the majority of us.

Some people are of course more vulnerable to the influenza virus, so particular care must be given to them during the flu season.

We support the use of proven, safe and effective pharmaceuticals when genuinely necessary.

But every medical intervention carries some risk.

We firmly oppose asking children to receive a vaccine to ‘protect’ other, more vulnerable, groups.

It Iis not appropriate to use children as a safety shield.

We are also concerned about the creeping normalisation of drug reliance for children,

and the associated dismissal of natural health.

After the clear regulatory failings around the Covid-19 vaccines,

questions are understandably arising about the true safety and efficacy of other vaccines.

Research suggests that the flu vaccine is "inadequate", [1] and it has also been shown to cause a wide range of negative and serious health effects, including febrile convulsions, Guillain-Barré syndrome and oculo-respiratory syndrome. [2]

Studies of flu vaccine safety and efficacy are not good enough — as highlighted by Cochrane. [3]

They note that:

“five children need to be vaccinated to prevent one case of influenza, although there is huge uncertainty around these estimates"

(emphasis ours).

They continue: “There is little evidence on prevention of complications [or] transmission".

Tom Jefferson, the lead author of the Cochrane Review on Vaccines for Preventing Influenza in Healthy Children, puts it plainly:

“Influenza vaccines are about marketing and not science”. [4]

He adds: “The science is missing and so making an informed decision is very difficult”.

A 2016 study showed that Strep A bacteria was “substantially higher in vaccine (flu nasal spray) recipients”, [5] with a 2023 study; showing that the vaccine also led to an increase in strep A infections. [6]

Strep A killed at least 30 children in 2022 in the UK alone. [7]

We believe that supporting children's natural immunity during the autumn and winter months is the best — and safest — protection against illness.

Safer to Wait’s SENSE web page and leaflet suggest some simple ways to do this. [8]

Hundreds of studies have demonstrated that Vitamin D supplementation helps during the months when there is less sunlight, especially if flu and respiratory infections are a particular concern.

It’s effective in reducing the risk of infection and, if infection occurs, reducing viral load, duration and severity of illness. [9] [10] [11]

The average child will have been given a cocktail of pharmaceuticals by the time they’re 18

— what are the associated long-term or cumulative effects? Nobody knows.

But we do know that children are sicker — more allergies, autoimmune disorders, autism, cancers, the list goes on — than ever before. [12]

Until we know exactly why, perhaps a more cautious and restrained approach to the administration of drugs to our children is wise.

Perhaps it’s safer to wait?

If you and your child decide not to go ahead with the ﬂu vaccine, you need to make it clear to their school, in writing.

TEMPLATE LETTER

A simple template letter that both of you can sign is at:

Head teacher’s name

School name

School address

Your name

Your address

Date

Dear Sirs

[Your child’s name], year [X]

The nasal flu vaccine has been offered to my child. This letter is to formally and unequivocally withdraw my consent for you to vaccinate [your child’s name].

For secondary school-age children, include the following paragraph. For primary school-age children, remove the following paragraph.

My daughter/son is at the age where s/he could be considered Gillick competent. Given this I have discussed the risks and benefits of the nasal flu vaccine with her/him and, on the issue of informed consent, my child declines the vaccine. Consequently, my daughter/son has signed this letter to also refuse the vaccine.

Please place a copy of this letter in my child’s school record.

Yours sincerely,

[Your signature]

[Your name]

For secondary school-age children, include their name and signature as outlined below. Delete for a letter concerning younger children.

[Child’s signature]

[Child’s name]