Four in 10 parents hesitate to get their children the free winter flu vaccine, according to research from the Irish Parents Association (IPA).

Despite 1,274 children being hospitalised with the virus during the flu season last year, more than a quarter of parents perceive the winter flu as not having serious consequences for their children.

In response to this, the IPA has launched the 'Flunited' campaign, urging parents to protect their children from flu this winter.

The campaign emphasises the importance of the children's flu vaccine and aims to increase uptake, highlighting that for young children sometimes the consequences of flu can be serious and lead to problems such as pneumonia, bronchitis and encephalitis.

The children's flu vaccine, administered as a free nasal spray to of all children aged 2-12 and children aged 13-17 at high risk of flu, is accessible from local GPs, participating pharmacies and, for the first time this year, in participating schools across the country.