Question: Are flu shots recommended for young children and older adults? What are the risks? Are there any articles I can refer to?
Dr. Hibberd's Answer:
Influenza vaccination is your most effective tool to reduce your risk of complications from the flu virus. It is now recommended for children over 6 months of age and all adults with rare exceptions. Concerns about side effects should be disregarded as long as the manufacturer’s recommendations are followed. The risk / benefit ratio for widespread influenza immunization has been shown to be effective whether or not underlying medical conditions are present.
For specific precautions, an excellent review is provided by our National Institute for Health at www.nlm.nih.gov/medline plus/flu.html. This site includes excellent links for further information, especially the Centers for Disease Control link at www.cdc.gov/flu/keyfacts.html. These websites will answer most all of your questions in an easy to understand fashion. This vaccination is only effective for approximately 4-6 months and annual vaccinations are advisable to maintain protection.
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