With influenza season upon us, the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention are recommending for the first time that all
children, not just the very young, be vaccinated.
With influenza season upon us, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are recommending for the first time that all children, not just the very young, be vaccinated.
School-age children are most likely to get infected with flu and to spread it, recent studies have found. Also, unpublished CDC data show that deaths among children infected with both influenza and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria rose during the last four flu seasons.
The new recommendation is part of a broader effort by public health authorities to achieve universal vaccination against the flu, meaning that everyone who can get vaccinated does so.
Also this season, vaccine manufacturers are distributing a record number of shots with no thimerosal, a preservative that contains mercury. Some parents believe thimerosal is linked to autism, though science has not found a connection.
What is the flu?
A contagious respiratory illness caused by flu viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness and, at times, can lead to death. Symptoms may include:
– Fever (usually high)
– Headache
– Fatigue
– Cough
– Sore throat
– Body aches
– Runny or stuffy nose
– Diarrhea and vomiting (more common among children than adults)
A Bad flu season?
There’s no way to know, experts say. But we do know that in the U.S. on average:
– 5 percent to 20 percent of the population will get the flu this year.
– 200,000 hospitalizations result each year from flu complications. Ten percent of those hospitalized are under 18.
– 36,000 deaths result each year from flu complications.
Vaccination is recommended for:
– Children 6 months through 18 years of age
– Pregnant women
– People 50 and older
– People with chronic medical conditions
– People in nursing homes and other longterm care facilities
– People living with someone at high risk for flu complications
– People living with or caring for children younger than 6 months
– Health-care workers
Vaccination is NOT recommended for:
– People with egg allergies
– People who have had past reactions to a flu vaccination
– People with Guillain-Barr syndrome
– People with cold symptoms
– Children under 6 months
Does the vaccine work?
Effectiveness varies from 70 percent to 90 percent in healthy adults. In 16 of the last 20 flu seasons, the viruses in the vaccine have been well matched to the predominant circulating viruses. Vaccines take about two weeks to provide protection against the flu.
What are parents doing?
Historically, flu vaccination rates are generally low for children. Only about 1 in 5 for kids age 6 months to 23 months and 1 in 6 for kids 24 months to 5 years are vaccinated. These rates have not changed significantly in recent years, despite efforts by public health officials.
Flu-vaccine myths
MYTH: You can get the flu from a flu shot.
FACT: Flu shots contain killed flu virus, and the nasal spray contains a weakened flu virus. They can’t give you the flu.
MYTH: If scientists pick the “wrong strain” of flu, the shot doesn’t work.
FACT: Scientists pick the virus strains to include in the vaccine a year in advance to allow time for manufacturing. Even if the virus strains and vaccine strains aren’t perfectly matched, vaccination can still lessen flu symptoms, as all strains are interrelated.
Where can I get the vaccine?
– Call your family doctor.
– Check with your independent, chain or supermarket pharmacy.
– Contact your local health department for clinics near you.
– Visit www.flucliniclocator.org
What else can I do to fight the flu?
– Wash your hands frequently.
– If you get sick with flu, reduce your contact with others and cover your cough.
– Consider an influenza antiviral drug. Two flu antiviral drugs are recommended for use this flu season:
1. Oseltamivir (Tamiflu): Approved to treat and prevent flu in people older than 1 year old.
2. Zanamivir (Relenza): Approved to treat flu in people older than 7 and prevent flu in people older than 5.
