Most of us think of adults when it’s flu vaccination time, but did you know that young children may also need the influenza vaccine?  According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, at least 68 American children died from influenza during the 2006-2007 season.  More than 90 percent of those who died had not received a flu vaccination.

“The influenza vaccine saves thousands of lives every year,” says Dr. Keith English, pediatric infectious disease specialist. “We need to redouble our efforts to immunize both at-risk individuals and their close contacts.  It is critical for health care workers to receive yearly influenza vaccination for several reasons, not least of which is our ethical responsibility to avoid spreading this infection to our patients.  Similarly, it is important that those individuals who care for young infants and the elderly get their annual flu vaccine to help protect these vulnerable individuals from influenza.”

The CDC currently recommends flu vaccination for the following at risk groups:

• Children between 6 months and 5 years old
• Adults over the age of 50
• Pregnant women
• People who live in nursing homes and long-term care facilities
• Health care workers
• Individuals with chronic health conditions such as asthma
• People who care for infants under 6 months of age or the elderly
• Individuals who live in the same household as an at-risk person

The vaccine can also be administered to children over the age of 5 and other adults who want to protect themselves from the flu.   October and November are the best times to be vaccinated, since it allows the vaccine to develop immunity before the flu season gets in full swing.

Visit the CDC website for more information about the flu and what you can do to stay healthy.

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