Anybody who has had the flu knows how awful it is. It is especially rough when our children get the flu and suffer through fevers, chills, aches and pains and more. Pediatric Partners of Augusta recommends a flu vaccine for anyone 6 months or older.
The flu shot is safe for pregnant women and children. It cannot give children the flu, but it also does not prevent COVID, which produced similar symptoms. It will reduce symptoms caused by the flu that are similar and can be confused with COVID symptoms.
Children under the age of 5 years are especially susceptible to catching the flu and suffering from complications that include: pneumonia, dehydration, worsening of long-term medical problems like heart disease or asthma, brain dysfunction such as encephalopathy and sinus problems and ear infections. In rare cases, flu complications can lead to death.
Here are some of the benefits of getting a pediatric flu shot:
- It can keep your child from getting the flu. The CDC says that getting vaccinated has been shown to reduce flu illnesses, doctor’s visits and missed school days and the risk of flu-related hospitalization and death in children.
- The vaccinations reduce the risk of flu-related hospitalizations among children.
- It is an important preventative tool for children with chronic health conditions, especially cardiac and pulmonary conditions.
- The flu vaccine significantly reduces a child’s risk of dying from the flu.
- It reduces symptoms in people who get vaccinated and still get the flu.
- The flu vaccine protects people around, especially those who are especially vulnerable (people with chronic cardiac and pulmonary illnesses, the elderly and young children).
Flu vaccines are especially important during the COVID pandemic. They will not prevent COVID, but they will reduce the burden of flu illnesses and hospitalizations on the health care industry and will free up resources that can be used to treat COVID patients.
For more information about the flu vaccine or to schedule one, contact Pediatric Partners of Augusta today.
Pediatric Partners has three locations to better serve our patients. The Evans office is at 411 Town Park Blvd.; the downtown Augusta office is at 1303 D’Antignac St., Suite 2600; and the new Grovetown office is at 5135 Wrightsboro Road. For more information about Pediatric Partners, call the office at 706-854-2500, visit PedPartners.com, or follow the Pediatric Partners of Augusta Facebook page.
