A wait for the adult flu jab, and a new warning about the children's nasal spray
What happened
Two pieces of flu vaccine news landed on the same day, 29 September 2026. First, the UK Health Security Agency published a short leaflet for the public called "Why do I have to wait for my flu vaccine?". It explains the supply of flu vaccine for adults and the demand for it. The leaflet is meant to be handed out or displayed by GP surgeries and pharmacies. UKHSA is clear about one thing in particular: no supply problems are expected for the children's programme. Second, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency published its monthly Safety Roundup for September. Tucked inside is a new warning about Fluenz, the nasal spray flu vaccine given to children. The product information for Fluenz has been updated to say there is an increased risk of fainting straight after the spray is given. The risk is higher in someone who has fainted after a vaccination before. The MHRA adds an unusual note. Because of the timing, this warning is not in the patient information leaflet that comes with this season's vaccine. So the agency has asked staff to tell parents and patients about it in person, before the spray is given. The MHRA has also published a new flu vaccine factsheet for patients, parents and carers.
Why this matters
Flu is not a heavy cold. In a bad winter it fills hospital beds, and the people it hurts most are the very old, the very young, pregnant women and anyone whose immune system or lungs are already under strain. The vaccine is the single most useful thing most of us can do about that. So anything that gets in the way of people having it matters. Waiting matters for a simple human reason. If you turn up expecting a jab and are told to come back, quite a lot of people never do come back. A leaflet that explains why the wait is happening is a small thing, but it is the difference between "they've run out, forget it" and "fine, I'll book for a fortnight's time". The Fluenz warning matters for a different reason. Fainting after a vaccination is not rare and it is not usually dangerous in itself. The danger is the fall. A child who faints while standing on a hard floor can hit their head. That is why the MHRA's advice is about procedure rather than panic: give the vaccine in a way that means a faint does no harm. The part that deserves attention is the honesty about the leaflet. The agency has said plainly that the warning did not make it into this season's printed information in time. That places the job of telling you on the person giving the vaccine, and on parents knowing to ask.
What the evidence actually says
It is worth keeping the size of these two things in proportion. On supply, UKHSA has published an explanation of availability and demand in the adult programme. That is not the same as announcing a national shortage, and it is not a reason to stop trying to get vaccinated. It is a reason to book rather than to walk in and hope. The distinction the agency draws is useful: the adult programme is where availability is being managed, and the children's programme is not expected to have supply problems. On fainting, the MHRA has not said Fluenz is unsafe, and it has not changed who should have it. It has updated the product information to reflect a known risk more clearly, and asked that people be told about it. Fainting after any vaccination, by needle or spray, is a recognised reaction. It is often linked to anxiety and to standing up, rather than to the vaccine itself. The single strongest predictor named by the MHRA is a previous faint after a vaccination. If that has happened to your child before, it is genuinely worth mentioning. The NHS continues to offer free flu vaccination to a defined list of groups, including people aged 65 and over, adults aged 18 to 64 with certain long-term health conditions, pregnant women, people living in care homes, carers, and people who live with someone whose immune system is weakened. Children have their own programme.
Qurexa perspective
We deliver medicines to a lot of people who fall squarely inside the eligible groups: older customers, people managing long-term conditions, and families where one person is shielding someone else. The pattern we see every autumn is not refusal. It is drift. People mean to book, then the week gets away from them, and by December it feels too late. It is not too late in December, but it is much better in October. If you are already in touch with us about a repeat prescription, it costs nothing to ask your pharmacy about flu vaccination at the same time. Many pharmacies vaccinate adults aged 18 and over on the spot.
Practical advice
For adults: - Book rather than turn up. GP surgeries, many pharmacies, maternity services and care homes all deliver the programme, and you can book online or through the NHS App. - If you are told there is a wait, take the next appointment offered instead of leaving it. Ask the surgery or pharmacy to explain the timing, which is exactly what the new UKHSA leaflet is for. - Check whether you are eligible before you assume you are not. Carers and people living with someone who has a weakened immune system are often surprised to find they qualify. For parents: - The children's programme is not expected to have supply problems, so take up the offer when it comes through school or your GP. - Tell whoever is giving the vaccine if your child has ever fainted after a vaccination, or has felt faint, dizzy or sick after one. - Expect your child to be asked to sit down for the spray, and to stay seated for a short while afterwards. That is not a sign anything is wrong. It is the point. - The printed leaflet in the box this season does not carry the fainting warning. If nobody mentions it, ask.
What to know
UKHSA has published a public leaflet explaining vaccine availability and demand in the adult flu programme, and says no supply problems are expected for the children's programme. The MHRA has separately updated the product information for the Fluenz nasal spray to flag an increased risk of fainting immediately after it is given, particularly in anyone who has fainted after a vaccination before. That warning is not in this season's printed patient leaflet, so staff have been asked to explain it in person. Neither change is a reason to skip the vaccine. Both are reasons to book early, to sit down for the spray, and to speak up if fainting has happened before. Sources: UK Health Security Agency, "Why do I have to wait for my flu vaccine?", 29 September 2026, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/why-do-i-have-to-wait-for-my-flu-vaccine. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, "MHRA Safety Roundup: September 2026", 29 September 2026, https://www.gov.uk/drug-device-alerts/mhra-safety-roundup-september-2026. UK Health Security Agency, "Annual flu programme", updated 29 September 2026, https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/annual-flu-programme. NHS, "Flu vaccine", https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/flu-vaccine/. This article is for general information and does not replace advice from a doctor, pharmacist, nurse or other qualified healthcare professional. If you are unsure whether you or your child should have a flu vaccine, ask your GP practice or pharmacist.
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