Dr Phil Kieran: Does my 11-year-old need a flu vaccine? 

We need to give the vaccine yearly because the immune response starts to decrease over time, and the strain of flu changes each year. Most kids don’t mind the nasal flu vaccine, and it’s quick to administer.

A preteen girl wipes her nose with a tissue because of the flu, a cold, or allergies

My 11-year-old daughter is just over a dose of flu. Will she still need the flu vaccine, or will her immune system fight off the virus?

Flu is a nasty virus. I get a lot of questions every year about who should or shouldn’t get the flu vaccine, and my basic stance is that most people should get it. In Ireland, we recommend that children between two and 17 get the flu vaccine yearly.