State judge blocks NYC rule that required preschoolers get annual flu vaccinations

The U.S. Center for Disease Control recommends that everyone 6 months and older receive an annual flu vaccination.

Flu cases typically spike in January after students return from break. “Getting a flu shot now will protect you and your family over the holiday season and into the New Year”, adds Dr. Golmohammadi.

Swine flu (swine influenza) is a respiratory disease caused by viruses (influenza viruses) that infect the respiratory tract of pigs, resulting in nasal secretions, a barking cough, decreased appetite and listless behaviour.

The importance of getting a flu vaccination is well documented. Outbreaks can happen as early as October and last as late as May, The flu virus can survive in low humidity/dry air and people are confined indoors during the winter, said Gullicksrud. Some avoid vaccination due to religious beliefs, others because they don’t believe the flu shot is truly effective. Health officials said flu vaccine usually takes two weeks to be fully protective, so it’s important to get vaccinated now.

“The elderly, pregnant women and new mothers, and children are all on the list of people recommended to get a flu shot”, Willis says.

“A flu shot doesn’t cover every strain”, Willis says, “so it’s possible, albeit less likely, to get the flu even when you’ve received the vaccine”.

Forty-seven of the 67 participants received services through the urgent care center and the West Windsor Health Department; an unknown number of participants received treatment from their private health care providers, the CDC said. “There’s a lot of people you’re going to mingle with and we want you to stay safe and stay healthy and not bring any flu bugs back to Regina”. But the main advantage of this production technique, which instead of eggs uses live cells to cultivate the vaccine, is a more rapidly available widespread vaccine in the event of a pandemic. According to the Kent County Health Department, there were just 12 reported cases of influenza in Kent County last week. It provides protection against two strains of influenza A and one strain of influenza B. A schedule of clinics offering flu shots in Ventura County can be found at www.vchca.org/ flu-vaccine-information. While the flu vaccine may be able to be safely administered to those with egg allergies, this vaccine is considered a bit safer.

That being said, there are still substantial benefits to receiving a flu shot, particularly for those members of society at higher risk.