Thread by @kallmemeg

NEW: @UKHSA study on #StrepA in kids ⤵️

Nasal flu vaccine DOES NOT increase risk of strep A in kids 💉

Flu infection can cause strep A as secondary infection. 🦠

Flu vaccine can prevent flu, and indirectly prevent strep A infection. #GetVaccinated

medrxiv.org/content/10.110…

You may have seen rumours circulating widely on TikTok, Facebook and Twitter

That nasal flu vaccine (the live attenuated vaccine [LAIV]) used in children causes strep

These unfounded rumours do nothing but stoke fear in responsible parents who want to protect their children

This appears to be based on one study:
1) in mice
2) using a different LAIV to what we use in kids
3) on Strep pneumoniae (which is different to Strep aureus and does not cause scarlet fever or iGAS)
3) measures URTI carriage - does not equal infection

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24549845/

And a fuzzy screenshot allegedly from VigiAccess (@WHO version of VAERS/yellow card) that lists ‘potential vaccine side effects’

Now nobody can find this in VigiAccess

Suggesting it may have been fabricated

Nice fact check here ⤵️
logically.ai/factchecks/lib…

So while we know this is ❌misinformation❌, and data shows nasal flu vaccines are extremely safe and do not cause Strep A

Influenza hospitalisations are rising rapidly in 0-4 year olds 🤒

And only 38% of kids age 2-3 years have had their flu vaccine.

If anything should bother you about all this, it’s that children are being hospitalised for an infection that could be prevented by a simple, painless, effective vaccine.

And averted flu infections may even indirectly prevent strep A

It’s a no brainer. #GetVaccinated