Do you ever wonder if we get tired of asking whether you’d like a flu vaccine today? The answer is no. Flu shots are so important that we’d carry them around in our pockets if we could. In the United States, we lose about 150 children per year to influenza.
People often tell us that they get the flu in the same year they received a flu shot. The flu shot can’t actually cause the flu. One problem is that for years, doctors have been saying “colds and flu” as if they’re interchangeable. You can still get the usual cold viruses after a flu vaccine. The flu shot only prevents Influenza A and Influenza B, both of which are serious illnesses in children. You might get a mild case of the real flu or catch a cold virus after a flu shot, but you’re not likely to get a serious or deadly case of influenza. Every year, we try to get a perfect match for the circulating flu strains, and some years we just don’t quite get it. But some protection is always better than none.
So roll up that sleeve and get your flu shot. We care very much about you and your children’s health.