Flu Vaccine for Kids and Pregnancy: A 2026–27 Season Guide

The short answer: children aged 6 months and older are recommended a flu vaccine every year¹, and it can be given at any stage of pregnancy²³. Flu arrived earlier than usual in some places this season, so if you can book, don't wait.

What is different about this flu season?

South Korea: an earlier advisory. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) issued its 2026–2027 influenza epidemic advisory from 11 September 2026 and said plainly that this season's spread began earlier than in previous years⁴. Its surveillance for week 36 (30 August–5 September) showed:

25.3 cases of influenza-like illness per 1,000 outpatient visits, against a seasonal threshold of 12.9 and a figure of 6.6 in the same week last year
The highest rates in ages 7–12 (75.1), followed by ages 1–6 (49.8)

In other words, school-age and young children are where this wave is concentrated. KDCA also noted that Japan had entered its flu season early⁴.

South Korea: free vaccination extended to age 14. The national programme's free vaccination for children was widened this season from "6 months to 13 years" to "6 months to 14 years". Pregnant women and children who need two doses were the first to start, from 21 September⁵.

England: children and pregnant women first. The NHS began vaccinating children and pregnant women on 1 September 2026. These groups go first because the virus spreads quickly among younger age groups, and flu usually peaks in December and January². The NHS estimates that around 104,000 hospitalisations were avoided last winter².

Why do children need a flu vaccine?

Flu is not just a heavier cold for children. According to the US CDC¹:

Children under 5, and especially under 2, are at higher risk of serious complications
In the United States, flu-related hospitalisations among children under 5 have ranged from 6,000 to 25,000 a year
Among children's flu deaths reported for the 2024–25 season, about 90% were in children who were not fully vaccinated against flu

Yearly vaccination reduces flu illness, doctor's visits and missed school days, and lowers the risk of hospitalisation and death¹.

How does flu vaccination work for children?

From what age: every year from 6 months old¹
How many doses: children aged 6 months to 8 years who are being vaccinated for the first time, or who have only ever had one dose, need two doses this season, at least 4 weeks apart¹. South Korea's rule is the same (under 9 years)⁵
How soon it works: antibodies develop about 2 weeks after vaccination¹
When to get it: ideally by the end of October. Later is still worthwhile for as long as flu is circulating¹
Injection or nasal spray: most children in England receive a nasal spray². In the US the nasal spray is approved for ages 2–49 and is not recommended in pregnancy¹

Vaccine types and free eligibility vary by country, so follow your local clinic. For what to expect afterwards, see Vaccines explained.

Can you have a flu vaccine while pregnant?

Yes, at any stage of pregnancy²³. The CDC gives these reasons³:

Flu during pregnancy is more likely to lead to hospitalisation
A 2018 study found that vaccination during pregnancy reduced the risk of being hospitalised with flu by an average of 40%
Antibodies pass to the developing baby and protect them for several months after birth, when they are still too young to be vaccinated
Pregnant women should have the flu shot, not the nasal spray
Flu shots have been given to millions of pregnant women over more than 50 years with an excellent safety record

The NHS adds that pregnant women can also have the RSV and whooping cough vaccines to protect newborns in their first weeks². Programmes differ between countries, so ask at your next antenatal appointment.

Babies under 6 months can't be vaccinated. How do you protect them?

Vaccination during pregnancy, which passes antibodies to the baby³
Vaccination for everyone who cares for the baby¹
Hand washing, covering coughs, wearing a mask when you have respiratory symptoms, and airing rooms often⁴

Vaccination arrangements at a glance

Place	Children	Pregnant women
South Korea⁵	Free from 6 months to 14 years. From 21 September for those needing two doses and 28 September for one dose, until 30 April 2027	Free from 21 September
England²	From 1 September. Mostly at school for school-age children; through the GP practice for ages 2–3	From 1 September, at any stage
United States¹³	Recommended yearly from 6 months	Any trimester, by injection

For other countries, check your local health authority.

Which flu symptoms need urgent medical care?

The CDC lists these emergency warning signs in children⁶:

Fast breathing or trouble breathing
Bluish lips or face
Ribs pulling in with each breath
Chest pain
Severe muscle pain (the child refuses to walk)
Dehydration (no urine for 8 hours, dry mouth, no tears when crying)
Not alert or interacting when awake
Seizures
Fever above 40°C (104°F) that fever-reducing medicine does not control
Any fever in a baby younger than 12 weeks
Fever or cough that improves but then returns or worsens
Worsening of a long-term medical condition

If you are pregnant and have flu symptoms, call your health care provider promptly. The CDC recommends early antiviral treatment in pregnancy for confirmed or suspected flu³, and whether to treat is your clinician's decision.

For everyday fever care, see What to do when your child has a fever.

Common questions

Is it too late to get vaccinated now? No. Vaccination still protects for as long as flu viruses are spreading, even into January or later¹.

Is it safe in the first trimester? Yes. Both the CDC and the NHS state it can be given at any stage of pregnancy²³.

Does vaccination while breastfeeding help the baby? Yes. The CDC notes that antibodies made after a flu shot while breastfeeding are shared with the baby through breast milk³.

This article summarises public information from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, NHS England and the US CDC. Vaccination programmes differ between countries, so follow your local health authority and clinic. It is not medical advice. Ask your doctor about vaccination and any treatment.

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2026, June 16). Flu and children. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/highrisk/children.html ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹
NHS England. (2026, September 1). NHS kicks off flu jabs for children and pregnant women ahead of winter. https://www.england.nhs.uk/2026/09/nhs-kicks-off-flu-jabs-for-children-and-pregnant-women-ahead-of-winter/ ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, September 17). Flu & pregnancy. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/highrisk/pregnant.htm ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸
질병관리청 [Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency]. (2026, September 11). 2026-2027절기 인플루엔자 유행주의보 발령, 예년보다 이른 유행, 학생 및 고위험군 대응 강화 [Press release]. https://www.kdca.go.kr/bbs/kdca/42/312593/artclView.do ↩ ↩² ↩³
질병관리청 [Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency]. (2026, August 25). 올겨울 인플루엔자 국가예방접종, 14세까지 확대해 9월 21일부터 순차 시행 [Press release]. https://www.kdca.go.kr/bbs/kdca/42/312308/artclView.do ↩ ↩² ↩³
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, August 26). Signs and symptoms of flu. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/signs-symptoms/index.html ↩