There’s Still Time For A Flu Shot

Ita??s not too late to protect yourself and your family from the flu. Influenza??is about to enter its??peak season??in the United States. Now is the time to be vigilant in protecting against and preventing the spread of flu. Washing your hands, staying home from work or school, and covering your cough can be incredible steps.

But the most effective way to prevent influenza is to get vaccinated. If you havena??t had a flu shot, get one this week. Your child can be immunized if over??six months of age, and remember that many children under age??nine will need a second dose (booster shot).??Find out??how to determine if your child needs a second dose.

1o Things To Know About Influenza

1. Influenza peaks in February and March in the United States. Look at the CDC data that reflects ongoing influenza activity.

2. Vaccination is the best way to protect you, your family, and your community from the flu.

3. Children under age??five are at higher risk from complications from the flu. Children under age??two are at even higher risk. Children with asthma and other underlying medical conditions are at higher risk as well.

4. Pregnant women are at exceptionally high risk from influenza and complications from the infection due to changes in their immune, cardiac, and pulmonary (lungs) systems. While pregnant women make up only 1 percent??of the U.S. population, they accounted for 5 percent??of the countrya??s deaths from H1N1 (swine flu) in 2009. All pregnant women are recommended to get a flu shot. However, we know that only about 30 percent??of moms are immunized at the time of delivery. The bonus of protecting themselves? New research shows how vaccinating pregnant women protects babies. When moms protect themselves by getting flu shot, they also prevent spreading flu to their babies. Babies born to vaccinated moms have a lower risk of flu (and hospitalization) under??six months of age when they are too young to get the flu vaccine.

5. The best way to protect a newborn baby from the flu is to have all caregivers (parents, grandparents, nannies) get the flu shot.

6. People can spread the flu to others before they even now theya??re sick. People also spread the infection after they have had it — they can continue to spread flu for??five to??seven days??in mucus via sneezing??and coughing. The best way to protect yourself is to get a flu shot, and second to that: Wash you hands, cover your cough, and stay home from school or work when sick with??cold and flu??symptoms.

7. Each year 20,000 children under age??five are hospitalized with flu or complications of the flu.??Eleven children died from influenza during the week of January 30 through Feb 5th, 2011??in the United states.

8. Although flu is reported as widespread in 37 states, nearly all areas have circulating flu right now. See the most recent CDC data on influenza around the country.

9. Overall flu vaccination rates are less than 50 percent??for people under 65 years of age. To best protect our communities, vaccination coverage rates should be about 90 percent. Wea??re not there. Immunizing yourself and your family protects those who are too sick (or too young) to get the flu shot and are also at higher risk of complications.

10. Flu shots for children under age??three do not have thimerosal. FluMist (intranasal flu vaccine) doesna??t have thimeroal. Read the National Network for Immunization Information (NNii) page on mercury in vaccines. I dona??t believe you need to find a thimerosal flu shot.

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