CHILDREN across the UK are to be given the flu vaccine after experts said it could save up to 2000 lives a year.

The scheme, which is expected to be rolled out in 2014, will see all children aged two to 17 given the vaccination through a nasal spray. Younger children are likely to receive the spray at their GP practice while older ones will get theirs at school.

The decision will make the UK the first country in the world to offer the flu vaccine to healthy children free of charge.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which advises the Government on vaccination policy, said the programme should be extended to children because it could cut the rate of infection by 40%.

More than 900,000 young people will be eligible for flu jabs in Scotland.

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon has agreed to the change in policy. She said: "We will be looking at the recommendations closely to decide how best to implement the programme.

"The evidence from the JCVI suggests extending the vaccination programme to include children will help to reduce the spread of flu, as children are more likely to spread the virus. Increasing their immunity is likely to reduce the spread to more vulnerable groups."

Last winter Scotland experienced low levels of flu and it was the elderly who were worst hit. However, the virus changes every year and in 2010-11 significant levels of the swine flu virus H1N1 were circulating. In Scotland 12 children were seriously ill in hospital after catching the illness and one died.

Dr Jim McMenamin, epidemiologist with Health Protection Scotland, has been involved in the JCVI discussions. He said one consistent characteristic of flu was its ability to surprise and the best available modelling data had been used to calculate the number of lives which could be saved if all children were protected.

At present, over-65s, pregnant women, adults and children with medical conditions, such as asthma, are eligible for a seasonal flu jab.

Healthy children are among those least likely to develop complications after catching flu, but close contact with others means they are more likely to transmit the virus to more vulnerable people.

Ensuring enough vaccine and enough health care workers are available to offer all children vaccination before every flu season will present a significant logistical challenge and concern has already been raised about the pressure it will place on staff. In addition, it is expected to cost £100 million a year UK-wide at a time when NHS resources are stretched.

However, it is estimated a mass immunisation programme will lead to 11,000 fewer hospital admissions and 2000 fewer deaths every year.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said they would discuss implementation with health boards, but noted the JCVI believed the programme would be cost effective.

Jackie Fletcher, co-founder of Jabs, a support group for families who believe children have been damaged by vaccines, questioned whether flu was a sufficiently serious illness to warrant widespread vaccination.

She said: "Diseases like diphtheria and tetanus were really deadly, but what are the chances of a child catching flu and suffering a long term effect?"

Dr Hilary Cass, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said: "There is sometimes anxiety among parents when deciding whether or not to have their children vaccinated.

"We should reassure them that the decision to offer the flu vaccine widely has been made after weighing up the relative pros and cons.

"We can be confident this proposal is in the best interest of children."