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The influenza season in the United States is usually from the middle of November or December to April each year. A yearly flu shot can help protect your child from getting infected with the influenza virus.
NOTE: It is unclear if there is going to be a shortage of flu shots this year or if there will be enough to go around. Look for updates from the CDC and FDA in October on whether or not the 18 to 26 million doses of flu shots from Chiron, the company that had problems last year, will be available this year.
When should you get your flu shot?
October-November – Best Time
December or Later – Not Too Late!
Influenza is a serious illness that usually causes fever, cough, chills, sore throat, muscle aches and headache. While most people have a mild illness for a few days, others can become seriously ill and may need to be hospitalized. Those most at risk for serious complications of the flu include everyone over age 65 and anyone with serious long-term health problems. This includes children over six months of age with asthma, heart disease, kidney disease, immune system problems, diabetes, and blood disorders.
You should consider having your child immunized against the influenza virus if he has a long-term health problem, if he between the ages of 6 and 23 months, if you have other children at home that are less than 6 months old, or if you just want to decrease his chance of getting the flu.
To help conserve flu vaccine for those most at risk from the flu until it is a little more clear how many flu shots we will have this year, the CDC has changed their recommendations for who needs a flu shot this year. Healthy adults and children who are not in high risk or priority groups are being asked to wait until October 24, 2005 to get their flu shot.
Who Should Be Vaccinated With the Flu Shot This Season
Priority groups for vaccination with inactivated influenza vaccine (the flu shot) this season before October 24, 2005 are:
- persons aged 65 years and older, with and without chronic health conditions
- residents of long-term care facilities
- persons aged 2–64 years with chronic health conditions
- children aged 6–23 months
- pregnant women
- health-care personnel who provide direct patient care
- household contacts and out-of-home caregivers of children aged <6 months
Other Vaccination Recommendations
- Healthy persons who are 5 to 49 years of age and not pregnant, including health-care workers (except those who care for severely immunocompromised patients in special care units) and persons caring for children who are less than 6 months should be encouraged to be vaccinated with intranasally administered live, attenuated influenza vaccine (FluMist).
- Influenza vaccination is recommended for all people 6 months of age and older who have been displaced by hurricane Katrina and are living in crowded group settings.
Vaccination of Persons in Non Priority Groups
- Persons who are not included in one of the priority groups above should be informed about the current CDC recommendations and asked to wait until October 24, 2005 to get their flu shot.
Keep in mind that the flu shot does contain thimerosal, although according to the CDC, 'the benefit of influenza vaccine with reduced or standard thimerosal content outweighs the theoretical risk, if any, from thimerosal.' A small supply of reduced thimerosal flu vaccine may also be available though.
Also, remember that there is an alternative to getting a flu shot. Flumist, a nasal spray, can be given to healthy children and adults aged 5 to 49 years.
According to the ACIP, the following groups should not get a flu vaccine before talking with their doctor:
- People who are have a severe allergy to hens' eggs;
- People who have had a severe reaction to a flu vaccine in the past;
- People who previously developed Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) in the 6 weeks after getting a flu shot; and
- Children less than 6 months of age.
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