for severe influenza (like asthma, diabetes, and chronic heart, lung, and kidney lung, or kidney disease, or diabetes) that increase the risk of …
What you should know about Influenza and Influenza Vaccine
Influenza vaccination is the most effective way of preventing the flu
Beginning in October, flu vaccine funded by Washington state and the
federal Vaccines For Children VFC program will be available through
Public Health and private providers to cover all children ages 6 months
through 18 years, regardless of ability to pay
Large numbers of healthy children, adolescents and younger adults develop
influenza infection each year, leading to doctor visits and missed days of
school, work and other activities In addition, healthy older children and
adults can spread influenza within families to persons at high risk for
serious illness Influenza-related severe complications and
hospitalizations are most common in adults 65 years of age, children less
than 2 years of age, and children and adults with a high risk medical
condition for severe influenza like asthma, diabetes, and chronic heart,
lung, and kidney disease
Who should receive influenza vaccine?
Influenza vaccine is now recommended by the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices ACIP
for all children ages 6
months through 18 years
Influenza vaccine is also recommended for
o adults age 50 years and older,
o persons of any age with chronic medical conditions such as heart,
lung, or kidney disease, or diabetes that increase the risk of
complications from influenza
o pregnant women
o household contacts of pregnant women, persons with high-risk
conditions, or infants under age 6 months
In addition to being immunized, it is also important to wash your hands,
cover your cough, and stay home from work, school, or other activities
when youre sick School age children can pick up influenza infection from
each other at school and then easily spread it to young siblings and other
family members in their household who are elderly or otherwise at high risk
for influenza complications
Either injectable flu vaccine TIV or intranasal flu vaccine FluMist or
LAIV can be used when vaccinating healthy persons aged 2–49 years LAIV
should not be administered to children aged 5 years with possible reactive
airway disease, such as those who have had recurrent wheezing or a recent
wheezing episode TIV should be used instead for children with possible
reactive airway
disease, persons at higher risk for influenza complications
because of underlying medical conditions, children aged 6–23 months, and
persons aged 49 years
Children aged 6 months–8 years should receive 2 doses of vaccine if they
have not been vaccinated previously at any time with either LAIV or TIV
doses separated by 4 weeks; 2 doses are required for protection in these
children Children aged 6 months–8 years who received only 1 dose in
their first year of vaccination should receive 2 doses the following year
The 2008–09 trivalent vaccine virus strains are A/Brisbane/59/2007 H1N1-
like, A/Brisbane/10/2007 H3N2-like, and B/Florida/4/2006-like antigens,
the strains expected to be circulating during this flu season
Where can we get flu vaccine?
Many private providers will have flu vaccine for children and adults
Additional flu vaccine locations are listed on Public Healths website at
wwwkingcountygov/health/flu
If your school is interested in sponsoring a flu vaccine clinic for staff,
students, or the community, Public Health can refer you to immunization
providers
Where can we find additional information about influenza?
Educators and staff can help slow the spread of
colds and flu A fact
sheet on Stopping Germs at Home, Work and School can be downloaded from
CDCs website at wwwcdcgov/germstopper/materials/home_work_schoolpdf
Influenza information will be updated on our web site throughout the flu
season, at wwwkingcountygov/health/flu and you may call our immunization
program at 206-296-4774 with questions regarding influenza vaccine
recommendations or influenza surveillance
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Source:misd.k12.wa.us
