Summer/Autumn 2008
Volume 11, Number 2
| Flu Bits | |||
| by Lyn Chapman, MD, Ph |
It’s hard to think about “flu” season when you are still mowing the lawn and the leaves haven’t yet fallen.
However, it’s not too early to start thinking about preventing influenza. This year PIP is recommending that all children over the age of six months should receive the influenza vaccine.
And we are also recommending that all children over age two who are eligible should receive the Flumist nasal vaccine. We believe it provides longer immunity and can even help protect children against influenza strains that aren’t contained in the vaccine.
Children between the ages of six months and two years, as well as any child with asthma, recurrent wheezing or a weakened immune system cannot get the nasal vaccine and must have the injectable vaccine.
Since the Flumist has a longer protection period, we are now starting to give it to eligible children. We will offer the injectable vaccine later in the fall.
Children at highest risk from this preventable disease are:
- Children with long-term health problems.
- Children with underlying lung disorders like asthma.
- Any child on long-term aspirin treatment.
- Any child living in a group home.
- Any child that has a weakened immune system.
- All children aged 6 months to 5 years.
- All children who are household contacts of anyone 0-59 months and 65 years and older, or any high risk person as listed above
For more information about the flu vaccines available, please click here.
Please call the office where your child is normally seen to schedule an appointment for this important immunization. We are holding special flu vaccine clinics when we will have extra staff available for administering the vaccine. These dates are set up about a week ahead of time.
