Making sure your kids get a flu shot every year is always a good idea, but still very much so this fall, as the coronavirus continues to spread throughout much of the United States.
As any parent knows, cold and flu season always brings a host of respiratory viruses and runny noses, but this year there is the possibility of getting both the flu and Covid-19. That public health leaders urge everyone to get the flu vaccine to protect ourselves and prevent hospitals with sick patients from being overwhelmed.
“Every time you get a virus, it can predispose you to have another infection on top,” said Flor M. Muñoz, MD, a pediatric infection specialist at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston and the lead author of ‘ the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations for preventing flu.
If you’ve been thinking about this year’s flu, and you’re wondering when to get it or where to go during the pandemic, we have answers below.
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Does my child need more than one flu shot?
It depends. Children typically get their first flu shot when they are 6 months old, at which point they get another shot about four weeks later. This is because the immune system of young children under the age of 9 does not have as strong a response to the vaccine as older children and adults do, said Drs. Muñoz. Peak immunity will develop about two weeks after the second shot.
Children younger than 9 and who have never received the vaccine before will also need two flu shots this year, about four weeks apart. Similarly, children under 9 who have had only one flu shot in the past – and then never had another flu shot at some point – should also get two shots this year.
Children 9 and older require only one flu shot, and it will take at least two weeks for those children to be fully protected after the shot is administered.
If you are not sure, ask your child’s doctor for guidance.
When is the ideal time to get the vaccine?
The American Academy of Pediatrics says that as long as your children get the flu in September or October, they will be covered. Although there have been flu-like outbreaks in the past, there have been no delays in production this year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and fax manufacturers predict they will deliver more than 20 million doses this year. done year, for a total of nearly 200 million.
Doctors say it is best not to turn off the vaccine. As the school year gets busy, it can be harder to find time for an appointment. Plus, if you wait until the end of October, Covid-19 cases may increase in your area, making it more risky to visit a clinic or doctor’s office to get the flu vaccine.
It’s “better to get it if you think about it, otherwise you may have to wait or forget for too long,” said Mark Sawyer, MD, an infectious disease specialist at Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego and a professor at the University of California , San Diego.
Children who need to get the flu twice should get the first dose as soon as possible.
For children starting in September, “it will be mid-October until the time they are fully protected, assuming they receive their second dose within four weeks,” said Drs. Muñoz.
Anyone planning to get the flu should be fully vaccinated by the end of October, she advised.
According to the CDC, the flu season can begin in early October and continue as late as April or May. The immunity conferred by the flu shot decreases with time, but more so in adults than children, added Drs. Sawyer. Then do not worry about whether you have the exact time of the kiss and just plan to vaccinate your children in September or October.
If it’s already November or December and your children have not been vaccinated yet, do not be discouraged. Let them be vaccinated as soon as possible.
And even if your child does not get the vaccine and then comes off with the flu, you still need to vaccinate them when they recover, because anyone can get the flu more than once, said Dr. Muñoz.
Where is the safest place to get the vaccine?
On Thursday, the Department of Health and Human Services nationwide gave permission to pharmacists nationwide to administer all scheduled shoes to children as young as 3, including the vaccine for flu. You can use the Vaccine Finder website to find a place near you.
Although parents now have more options of places to vaccinate their children, it may be most advantageous to do so at your pediatrician’s office because they know your child’s medical history and give you the opportunity to do other things. to discuss, for example, sleep problems or developmental milestones, than to get other vaccines that may have been missed earlier this year.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Updated August 17, 2020
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Why does standing six feet apart help others?
- The coronavirus spreads primarily by drips from your mouth and nose, especially when you cough or sneeze. The CDC, one of the organizations using this measure, bases its six-foot recommendation on the idea that most large droplets that expel people when they cough or sneeze fall within six feet to the ground. But six feet has never been a magic number that guarantees complete protection. Noses, for example, can launch drops much farther than six feet, according to a recent study. It’s a rule of thumb: you need to be the safest to stand six feet apart, especially when it’s windy. But always wear a mask, even if you think you are far enough apart.
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I have antibodies. Am I immune now?
- At the moment, that probably seems like at least several months. There have been horrific accounts of people suffering from what appears to be a second bolt of Covid-19. But experts say these patients may have a prolonged course of infection, with the virus taking a slow toll weeks to months after initial exposure. People infected with the coronavirus typically produce immune molecules called antibodies, which are protective proteins made in response to an infection. These antibodies may only last two to three months in the body, which may seem worrying, but that is perfectly normal after an acute infection progresses, said Dr. Michael Mina, an immunologist at Harvard University. It could possibly get the coronavirus back up, but it is highly unlikely that it would be possible in a short window of time from initial infection or the second time safe.
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I am a small business owner. Can I get relief?
- The incentive bills introduced in March provide assistance to the millions of American small businesses. Those eligible for support are non-profit companies and organizations with less than 500 workers, including sole proprietorships, independent contractors and freelancers. Some larger companies in some sectors are also eligible. The assistance provided, which is managed by the Small Business Administration, includes the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Damage Disaster Program. But many people have not seen payments yet. Even those who have received help are confused: the rules are draconian, and some are stuck on money they do not know how to use. Many small business owners get less than they expected or heard nothing at all.
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What are my rights if I am worried about returning to work?
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What will school look like in September?
- It is unlikely that many schools will return to a regular schedule this fall, requiring the grinding of online learning, easy childcare and stunted workdays to continue. The two largest public school districts of California – Los Angeles and San Diego – said on July 13 that instruction will be remote only in the fall, citing concerns that growing coronavirus infections in their areas pose too great a risk to students and teachers. Together, the two districts enroll about 825,000 students. They are the largest in the country to date to abandon plans for even a partial physical return to classes when they reopen in August. For other districts, the solution will not be an all-or-nothing approach. Many systems, including the nation’s largest, New York City, are creating hybrid plans that include some days attending classrooms and other days online. There is no national policy yet, so check regularly with your municipal school system to see what is happening in your municipality.
It is important to maintain that contact with your child’s doctor, especially for younger children, said Dr. Muñoz.
If you decide to go to a pharmacy, do not forget to keep a register of the vaccine and when it was given, especially for children who need a second dose, advised Dr. Sawyer.
Instead of getting a shot, children 2 years and older can get a vaccinated nasal spray. It does not matter what type of age-appropriate vaccine you receive, according to the CDC, all are effective.
My child had the flu last year. Doesn’t that mean she’s immune?
No, your child has yet to catch the flu.
“Even if you had the flu two years ago as the year before, it could be that the strains that are causing the flu this year are completely different,” said Dr. Muñoz. “It’s unusual for the same strain of virus to circulate every year.”
This year’s vaccine covers four flu strains and three of the four strains were not in last year’s vaccine, she added.
There are two types of flu viruses that seriously affect humans: flu A and B. Each type of virus has multiple strains, one of which may be in circulation. In addition, the strains can mutate during the flu season and are detected by our immune system as a new virus.
All of this makes it difficult to predict in advance which strains will be most prevalent as virulent in the fall. Each year, the World Health Organization makes its best advice on which strains will be in circulation and sets out its recommendations for the flu vaccine.
What else can children do besides getting the flu vaccine?
Other steps you can take to help prevent respiratory viruses, such as the flu, include: stay away from people who are sick; wash your hands often; avoid touching your eyes and mouth as this is one of the ways germs are spread; continuing to wear masks in public places; and social distance whenever possible.
“Very little flu” is currently being reported in the Southern Hemisphere, Drs. Muñoz. “Probably because people are wearing masks and washing their hands.”
Lastly, be sure to clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces at home, such as doorknobs and light switches. And the CDC says that developing good habits can also help your body stay healthy: Get enough sleep, exercise, drink plenty of water and eat a nutritious, balanced diet.
