*** As of 10/31/2011, we have regular injectable flu vaccines

(Fluzone shots, for ages 6 months and older)

as well as preservative-free injectable flu vaccines

(Fluzone shots) for children age 6-35 months

in both offices.  Sorry, we are out of FluMist

(for ages 2 and older--see below) in both offices

and do not expect any more shipments of

FluMist this season.***

You can come to any of our regular shot clinic hours

(no appointment needed) for flu vaccines.

Flu vaccine season is here!  We strongly encourage vaccination for all eligible children and adults.  Every year, we see patients with complications of the flu including pneumonia and other bacterial infections which can result in severe illness (sometimes requiring hospitalization) and a risk of mortality.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now recommend influenza (flu) vaccine for all people age 6 months and older.  This year, the flu vaccine protects against H1N1 and seasonal influenza vaccine strains. 

We administer nasal or injected vaccine to our patients and their parents/household residents/caretakers.  Children under age 9 who have not received multiple doses of seasonal flu or H1N1 vaccine in the past may need 2 doses this year for full protection; please discuss this with us when you bring your child to our office for the flu vaccine.  We cannot bill insurance for anyone other than our pediatric patients for the flu vaccine, but for people other than our patients, we administer the flu shot for $35 and the nasal FluMist for $40.  See our hours of operation for our walk-in vaccine clinic hours; children can also be vaccinated during a scheduled sick visit or check-up if appropriate, but walk-in sick clinic is not for walk-in shot visits.

Fluzone:  This is the traditional, inactivated seasonal flu shot.  The most common side effects include redness/soreness at site of vaccination, muscle ache, headache, or fever.  It is generally well-tolerated.  For children under age 3, we have limited numbers of preservative-free flu vaccine which are available upon request.  For children age 3 and above, the vaccine is packaged in a vial that requires a preservative (thimerosal) to avoid bacterial contamination or spoilage.  Thimerosal is a water-soluble mercury derivative.  Multiple studies have shown no correlation between thimerosal and autism.  To read more on this topic, please see this link.

FluMist:  FluMist is a live, attenuated (weakened) influenza vaccine that is given nasally.  It does not contain thimerosal.  If there no history of asthma, wheezing, or breathing problems, children 2 years and older and adults may receive FluMist nasal flu vaccine instead of the injected flu shot; please see below for further exclusions.  The most common side effects are low-grade fever, runny nose, or sore throat; generally, FluMist is well-tolerated.  Because it is given in the nose, FluMist should not be given if you already have nasal congestion; the injected vaccine is the recommended option, or you can wait until the congestion resolves.  FluMist should not be given to people age 50 or older, children on chronic aspirin therapy, or people with immunosuppression (by illness or medications) or other chronic medical conditions (disorders of the heart, lung, kidney, liver, blood, nervous or neuromuscular system, or metabolism).  FluMist has similar efficacy to the injected flu shot in terms of protection against influenza disease.

Insurance Issues for Our Pediatric Patients:  For most of the insurances we accept, the influenza vaccine is covered for all children.  Optimum Choice and MD IPA insurances will cover injected flu vaccine in children age 6-59 months; they also cover the injected flu vaccine in children 5 and older with asthma, neuromuscular disorders, and other risk factors for influenza infections, but for healthy children (without asthma or other risk factors) ages 5 and older they will only cover FluMist, not the injected flu vaccine.  If you have any question of whether your insurance will cover your child’s flu vaccine, please contact your insurance carrier.

Who Should Not Receive the Vaccine:  Children under 6 months of age are too young to receive the flu shot, but their parents and other close contacts are encouraged to receive it. Children and adults with an egg allergy should not receive the flu vaccine through our practice but should see an allergist to receive their influenza vaccine.  If you have had a severe allergic reaction to a previous flu vaccine, are allergic to any other component of flu vaccine, or have a history of Guillan-Barre syndrome, you should not receive the vaccine.  We do not administer the influenza vaccine to women who are pregnant but encourage those women to obtain the vaccine through their obstetrician if appropriate.  People with fever of 101 or higher within the last 24 hours or an illness more severe than a mild cold should wait until they are healthy to receive the flu vaccine.

***If your child received H1N1 or seasonal flu vaccine at a location other than our practice in the past, please bring records with the dates of those vaccinations to our office when you come in so that we can enter them into your child’s chart.***