ABOUT US
Who Are Edupharma?
We are a community pharmacy based company. We specialise in vaccine provision, most specifically among schools. Preparations are well underway for our third year in operation as we look forward to providing Nasal Flu Vaccines to children in designated schools around Ireland from October 2025.
James Pettit Pharmacy in Charleville is one of several participating pharmacies in this years flu vaccine rollout with Edupharma.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should my child get the vaccine?
The National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) has recommended that the nasal influenza vaccine be provided to children aged 2-17 to prevent cases of flu in both children and in the wider community. Children are more likely than adults to get severe complications of flu. Complications include: pneumonia, bronchitis, and on rare occasions inflammation of the brain (encephalitis). Vaccinating children will also help in reducing transmission of influenza to clinical risk groups and older adults.
Exactly what is the vaccine and who makes it?
Fluenz is the annual nasal flu vaccine. It is a Live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV). It is produced by AstraZeneca.
My child got the vaccine last year, do they need to get it again in 2025?
Yes, Fluenz is updated every year based on recommendations from the World Health Organisation (WHO). These updates are based around the flu strains that are expected to be prevalent each year. This year, Fluenz will contain the Victoria and Croatia like strains (type A) and the Austria like strain (type B).
What if my child has a heavy cold/blocked or runny nose?
In this case it would be best to defer the nasal vaccine or consider the flu vaccine in injection form.
What are the vaccine contents?
Sucrose, Dipotassium phosphate, Potassium dihydogen phosphate, Gelatin, Arginine hydrochloride, Monosodium glutamate monohydrate, Water for injections and 3 attenuated influenza strains. Fluenz may also contain residues of egg proteins (e.g. ovalbumin) and gentamicin.
How long does the vaccine take to work?
Fluenz takes about two weeks to provide protection against the three influenza strains in the vaccine and other strains closely related to them.
Will the vaccine hurt?
No, Fluenz is a nasal spray where 0.1ml is sprayed into each nostril by a pharmacist. There is no needle or injection involved. The vaccine is pain free.
How effective is the vaccine?
Numerous studies have shown the vaccine to be overwhelmingly effective in preventing the contraction and transmission of influenza. A UK pilot vaccine scheme held in 2014/2015 showed 94% less incidences of GP influenza related consultations versus placebo. Considering that up to 10% of children under 15 in Ireland attend a GP every year with influenza; excellent results can be yielded from the use of Fluenz.
Who are Edupharma?
We are a team of healthcare professionals who have come together to deliver a vaccination service to schools across Ireland. The HSE-funded Nasal Flu vaccine is our primary focus and our group of pharmacists are fully trained and experienced in providing this to young people from 2-17 years of age. We carried out vaccine clinics in over 180 schools across Ireland during the 2024/2025 flu season.
Will my child’s data be safe if I provide online consent for the vaccine?
If you would like your child to receive the vaccine, a consent form can be completed using Typeform. Privacy and security is a priority for Typeform who comply with various industry standards and regulations including GDPR. Once data is entered into Typeform, it is secured with multiple levels of encryption and access controls. Your data will be uploaded to HSE Pharmavax which is a secure, online portal developed by the HSE that allow community pharmacies to record details of influenza vaccines that they administer.
What are the dangers of influenza?
Common symptoms include a sudden onset of fever, chills, headache, muscle and joint pain and extreme fatigue, a dry cough, sore throat and stuffy nose. Children can transmit influenza to others for 10 or more days (compared to 6 days for adults) thus increasing spread of the disease. Those attending day-care centres and schools are likely to transmit influenza in the community. At a minimum, influenza will lead to missed days in school or childcare whilst complications (pneumonia, bronchitis, etc) can have more severe consequences. GP visits, hospitalisations, critical care admissions and death can all result with 40 deaths reported over the last 10 years (HPSC data).
Who should not get the vaccine?
- Have had a severe allergic reaction to a previous dose of the flu vaccine or any of its ingredients- See Previous FAQ on vaccine contents. Those with egg allergies/anaphylaxis can be given the vaccine unless their allergy has previously led to ICU admission.
- Have severe asthma or if they have been wheezy or needed their inhaler more than usual in the three days prior to vaccination.
- Are taking medicines called salicylates (includes aspirin).
- Have a severely weakened immune system because of certain medical conditions or treatments. Example include leukaemia, lymphoma, HIV infection and high dose corticosteroids.
- Are living with someone who has a severely weakened immune system (for example, a person who recently had a bone marrow transplant).
- Are taking antiviral medicines that are active against influenza A and/or influenza B; as these can reduce effectiveness of Fluenz Tetra. It is advised to wait 48 hours after cessation of antiviral medicine before having the vaccine.
How does the vaccine work?
In short, the vaccine helps your child’s immune system to produce antibodies which will fight infection when exposed to flu. On a pharmacological level, Fluenz is a trivalent vaccine that contains antigens for three influenza virus strains (2 Type A, and 1 Type B). The replication of these strains in the nasopharyngeal epithelial cells is enough to stimulate strong mucosal IgA antibody production, systemic IgG antibody increases and cross-reactive T cell-mediated cellular immunity.
Is one dose of the vaccine enough?
Yes one dose is enough, unless the child is in a medically at risk group, aged 2-8, and has not had an influenza vaccine before. In this scenario the child will be given two doses of the vaccine that are four weeks apart.
Can I expect any side effects and is the vaccine safe?
Fluenz is a very safe vaccine. The most common side effects are mild and include runny or blocked nose, headache and muscle aches. Some children can get a fever (high temperature) after the vaccine but this usually goes away on its own and can be helped by paracetamol or ibuprofen.
Can the vaccine give influenza to my child?
No, Fluenz contains strains of flu virus that have first been weakened so that they do not cause disease. The influenza strains in the virus are cold adapted and temperature sensitive meaning they only replicate in the low temperatures found in the nose and cannot thrive anywhere else in the body.
How long should a child be monitored after receiving the vaccine?
Your child will be observed for 15 minutes after vaccination. A pharmacist will remain at the school until all consented students have been vaccinated and will stay on site for at least an extra 15 minutes to ensure there is no case of anaphylaxis.
How much will the flu vaccine cost?
Fluenz is free for all those aged 2-17 inclusive.
Who can I speak to if I have further questions?
See “Contact us” link to arrange an email with pharmacist or Edupharma administration.
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GET VACCINATED
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
Interested schools are encouraged to fill out our interest form for more information on organising a vaccination clinic.
