This week, I'm rolling out a new feature called "Ask the Local Doc." I'll feature doctors from Ocean and Monmouth counties discussing topics that parents will find useful.
If you're like me and you battled that back-to-school cold, you're probably glad that it wasn't a flu. That did get me to thinking about getting the flu shot this year. Who should have it? I reached out to Dr. Deb Harmady, a pediatrician with Coastal Healthcare in Brick, NJ. Here's what she had to say about who should get the flu shot--and when they should do it.
"According to the Center for Disease Control, everyone is at risk for the flu," Harmady said.
Last year's flu season set a record for the most flu-related deaths in children, when 176 kids passed away from it. Harmady noted that 80 percent of the kids who died from the flu last year were not vaccinated.
Who's at Risk for the Flu?
Children under the age of two are most at risk for getting influenza, but also kids less than five years of age are at a high risk. Additionally, those over 65 are more at risk, as are pregnant women (up to two weeks after birth). People in nursing homes, as well as those with asthma, COPD, cystic fibrosis, heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic conditions, are also most prone to influenza.
Kinds of Flu Shots
The vaccine works effectively to protect against four strains of the flu--two Type A strains and two Type B strains. It takes two weeks to work and is approximately 70 percent effective in healthy people. Three types of flu shots are available, and all are thimerosal-free (they don't contain mercury).
"The most common flu vaccine is the attenuated intramuscular vaccine," Harmady said. A high-dose formulation is geared for people over the age of 65. The subcutaneous shot that goes under the skin is available for those 18 to 64 years old.
"The nasal vaccine for those age two years and older and older may not be as effective as the other for HINI [a strain of the virus] but is good for all other three strains," she noted, adding that children under six months cannot get the vaccine.
Certain people should be cautious about getting the shot, including those with egg allergies--they should get a recombinant vaccine. People with Guillain-Barré syndrome should be closely monitored. If you're already sick with the flu and get the vaccine, you may not wind up with the best response to it.
For more details about types of flu shots, check out the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recent guidance on 2018 flu shots.
To Vaccinate, Not to Vaccinate: The Flu Shot Edition
Should your doctor give your child the flu shot? That's up to you, but if you do, Harmady notes that kids under 9 years old who haven't been vaccinated before should get two doses spread at least 28 days apart.
The CDC recommends getting the flu shot by the end of October.
Want more kids health news and advice from local doctors in Monmouth and Ocean county? Subscribe today to Central Jersey Shore Macaroni Kid and receive a free weekly newsletter of family events, kids health news and more.
