Children with cancer are extra sensitive to infectious diseases. The Princess Máxima Center is doing everything it can to protect patients. Now that the annual flu season has started again, we are therefore following the recommendations of the Health Council and the RIVM. All employees who are in direct contact with patients are asked to be vaccinated against the flu. It concerns doctors, nurses, pharmacy assistants, psychosocial staff and the people at the blood clinic.
Is it not smarter to vaccinate the children themselves? That sounds logical, but it's not the case. There is no scientific evidence that the flu vaccin makes sense for children with cancer. The effect of vaccination in children with low resistance is less than in healthy children. It is more important that they have as little contact as possible with the flu virus during their treatment. Vaccinating the people around them, such as the employees of the Princess Máxima Center, is the best approach. There is no evidence that vaccinating family members is efficient, but we think it is. That is why we advise you (parents, brothers and sisters), if you wish, to get a flu vaccination through your doctor. Your child's doctor may inform you about the necessity of this,