Roll Up Your Sleeve
It’s Flu Shot Time

Coughs, sneezes and wheezes are common this time of year, yet many individuals neglect to protect themselves against illnesses such as the flu and the common cold. Although a cold may make you miserable for a few days, it’s often not cause for concern. The flu, on the other hand, can develop into a serious condition, especially for children and the elderly.

The Flu Shot Tradition
To help keep yourself healthy, make a flu shot part of your yearly fall routine. Vaccination guidelines for adults have not changed. Anyone who wants to reduce the risk of flu can receive the shot.* If you’re at high risk of getting the flu – you are 50 or greater, pregnant, have a chronic condition or work in close contact with others – rolling up your sleeve can help prevent serious flu complications, such as bacterial pneumonia, dehydration, and ear and sinus infections.

To help keep yourself healthy, make a flu shot part of your yearly fall routine.

What’s New This Year?
In February 2008, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) made a change to its recommendations for children. Effective this year, all children ages 6 months to 18 years are strongly encouraged to receive the flu shot. In the past, the vaccine was recommended for children 6 months old to 5 years. By expanding the recommendation, the goal is to help prevent children of all ages from getting the flu, reducing the spread of the illness in schools and child care facilities. The CDC estimates that more than 20,000 children age 5 and younger are hospitalized each year because of flu.

If your child is between 6 months of age and 9 years old and has never had a flu shot, he or she will need two doses of the vaccine for maximum protection. As with adults, it’s best to get the shot as soon as you can after it becomes available. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a nasal spray flu vaccine for children ages 2 to 5 in fall 2007. The nasal spray has been approved for healthy people ages 5 to 49 since 2003 and can be provided through your family physician if available.

Get the Facts on Flu
Don’t let the flu bring you down this season. To learn more about this year’s flu vaccine and the new recommendation for children, contact your health care provider.