The American Association of Pediatrics has issued new recommendations about when children should get a flu shot.
It’s urging parents to get kids vaccinated as soon as the flu shot becomes available. The 2017-1018 flu season became one of the most severe seasons on record.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of August 18, 179 children have died from influenza-related illness. Approximately 80 percent of them were not vaccinated.
“Anyone that’s over the age of 6 months who doesn’t have some other contraindication should get the flu shot every year for the prevention of flu and for the people around them,” Dr. Jason Kurtzman at Go Heath Urgent Care in Avon.
Kurtzman says symptoms of the flu include muscle aches, body aches, cough, chest congestion and nasal congestion. He says it’s not too soon to start thinking about vaccinations.
“They’ve had a couple cases already this month in around our centers, but not prevalent,” he said. “They usually start to show up in fuller force toward the end of October and early November. End of September to early October is the recommended time to get it.”
