Why it’s more important to vaccinate your children this year

It’s always a good idea to make sure your child gets a flu shot each year, but especially this fall when the coronavirus continues spread Throughout most of the United States.

As parents know, the cold and flu season always brings many respiratory viruses and runny nose, but this year could be Get both Flu and Covid-19.. Therefore, public health leaders are calling on everyone to get an influenza vaccine to protect themselves and prevent the hospital from being overwhelmed by sick patients.

“Every time you get a virus, you may be more susceptible to another infection,” said Flor M. Muñoz, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston and lead author of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Stated. Recommendations for influenza prevention.

If you’re wondering about this year’s flu shot and you’re wondering when to get a pandemic and where to go, here are some answers:

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Does My Child Need Multiple Flu Vaccinations?

it depends. Usually, a child is vaccinated for the first influenza at 6 months of age, then another vaccination about 4 weeks later. According to Dr. Muñoz, this is because the immune system of infants under the age of 9 is less responsive to the vaccine than older children and adults. Approximately two weeks after the second shot, maximum resistance develops.

Children under the age of 9 who have not been vaccinated will also need to be vaccinated twice this year. Similarly, a child under the age of 9 who has only been vaccinated against influenza once in the past should be vaccinated twice this year if he or she has not been vaccinated against influenza at any other time. is.

Children 9 years and older need only one flu shot, and it takes at least two weeks for the child to be fully protected after the shot.

If in doubt, consult your child’s doctor.

When is the ideal time to get a vaccine?

The American Academy of Pediatrics says they will be covered as long as your child receives a flu shot in September or October. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, there was a shortage of influenza vaccinations in the past, but no production delays were seen this year, and vaccine manufacturers More than 20 million doses This flu season is close to 200 million more than last year.

Doctors say it is best not to postpone the vaccination. The harder the school year, the harder it is to find a time to book. In addition, waiting until the end of October may increase the number of cases of Covid-19 in the area, and it may be dangerous to visit a clinic or clinic to get the influenza vaccine.

Dr. Mark Sawyer, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego and a professor at the University of California, said: San Diego.

Children who need to get two flu shots should take their first dose as soon as possible.

For children starting in September, Dr. Muñoz said, “Assuming a second dose within four weeks, it will be in mid-October before full protection.”

She advised that anyone planning to be vaccinated against influenza should be fully vaccinated by the end of October.

by CDC, The flu season starts as early as October and can last as late as April or May. Immunity given by influenza vaccination diminishes over time, but adults are more so than children, Dr. Sawyer added. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about exactly when to time your shots. I plan to vaccinate my children in September or October.

If it’s already November or December and your child hasn’t been vaccinated yet, don’t be discouraged. Get vaccinated as soon as possible.

Dr. Muñoz needs to get the vaccine when the flu comes back, even if the children get the flu unvaccinated.

Where is the safest place to get a vaccine?

On Thursday, the Ministry of Health and Welfare Pharmacists all over the country manage all scheduled shots For children up to the age of 3 including the flu vaccine. You can use Vaccine Finder website To find a place near you.

Parents have more options for where to immunize their children, but because they know the child’s medical history and have the opportunity to discuss other things such as sleep problems and developmental disorders, do so at the pediatrician’s office. May be the most beneficial. Get a milestone, or other vaccine that may have been missed earlier this year.

Dr Muñoz said it is important to maintain contact with the child’s doctor, especially for younger children.

If you decide to go to the pharmacy, remember to keep a record of your vaccines and when they were given, especially for children who may need a second dose.

As an alternative to vaccination, children over the age of two can get nasal drops for the vaccine. It unrelated According to the CDC, what type of age-appropriate vaccine is available is all valid.

My child had the flu last year. Doesn’t that mean she’s immune?

No, children still need to be vaccinated against the flu.

“If you had the flu two or a year ago, the strains responsible for this year’s flu could be quite different,” Dr. Muñoz said. “It is unusual for the same virus strain to circulate every year.”

This year’s vaccine covered four flu strains, three of which were not in last year’s flu vaccine, she added.

There are two types of influenza viruses, A and B, that have the most serious effects on humans. There are multiple strains of each type of virus, one of which may be endemic. In addition, the strain can mutate during the influenza season and is recognized by the immune system as a new virus.

All of this makes it difficult to predict in advance which strain will be the most prevalent or the most virulent in autumn. Every year World Health Organization makes that best guess Which strains are in circulation and issue recommendations for influenza vaccines.

What else can children do in addition to getting the flu vaccine?

Other procedures that help prevent respiratory viruses such as influenza include the following: Keep away from sick people. Wash your hands often; avoid contact with your eyes and mouth. This is one of the ways bacteria spread. Continue wearing masks in public places. And keep as much social distance as possible.

“A little flu” is currently being reported in the Southern Hemisphere, Dr Muñoz said. “Probably because people wear masks and wash their hands.”

Lastly, be sure to clean and sanitize surfaces that you frequently touch at home, such as doorknobs and light switches. Also, according to the CDC, good habits can help maintain physical fitness. Get plenty of sleep, exercise, drink plenty of water, and eat a nutritious and balanced diet.