Flu Shots… So, Remember Last Year?
Last fall some of the PYAM flu shot clinics were cancelled due to lack of interest. Likewise, flu shots were turned down when offered during well checks. Then came the flu, earlier than usual and with a vengeance. As reports of deaths came in parents were caught scrambling to get themselves and their kids vaccinated.
After two consecutive years of little or no flu, it was easy to forget how very nasty the flu can be. One of the many reasons why the flu is so difficult to manage from a community health stand point is its unpredictability. No one can say that any given year will produce a virulent strain that sickens and hospitalizes hundreds, or whether it will be a mild flu season.
Our suggestion is to be proactive and get immunized this fall when clinics are available, or during well visits. When you and your children are vaccinated, it doesn’t matter what kind of season it turns out to be. Last year, doctors across the country reported that the vaccinated kids who did get the flu (no vaccine is 100%), had a much milder case. Either way, you win if you get vaccinated.
For flu shot clinic times and locations check our website or facebook page. The vaccine will again be available in both injectible and nasal spray form.