If you have ever had the flu, you know that it is not a pleasant experience. You have fever, chills, cough, body aches, sore throat, headache etc. The anxiety of taking the flu vaccine is not fun either, especially for children, but it is the best protection against contracting the flu. The flu season starts in October and peaks from December to March. The sooner you get the vaccine, the better protected you will be. It takes up to two weeks after receiving the flu vaccine to get immunity.
The 2016-17, flu vaccines have three or four viruses that researchers feel would be circulating this flu season. The intranasal flu vaccine (nasal spray) is not recommended this flu season because of its effectiveness. If you are allergic to eggs or could not receive the flu vaccine in the past because of allergic reactions, there are new recommendations allowing people with egg allergy and past reactions to take it now. Please check with your doctor or your child’s pediatrician.
Other ways to prevent getting the flu and other illnesses are frequent handwashing with soap and water, using hand sanitizer when running water is not available, keeping away from sick people, staying home from school and/or work when ill, covering cough/sneeze with a tissue or if you don’t have a tissue cough into your sleeves not your hands, discard used tissues immediately and keep hands away from face/mouth/nose.
As always, I encourage you to inform the clinic if your child has been diagnosed with the flu or other contagious diseases.
Until next time, remain healthy!
Marie Confident-Excellent, RN, BSN
Shorecrest School Nurse
