This is the first time in history children face the possibility of getting both the flu and Covid-19.
6 Reasons Your Child Should Get a Flu Shot This Year
As the COVID pandemic continues to evolve, doctors and hospitals are working day and night to treat patients. Getting a flu shot is an easy and inexpensive way to help protect health workers' valuable time and resources, from personal protective equipment (PPE) to testing supplies.
Of course, getting a flu vaccine during 2020-2021 can also help keep your family and community healthy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 46,000 children were hospitalized with the flu during the 2018-2019 flu season. They also estimate that since 2010, flu-related hospitalizations among children younger than 5 years old have ranged from 7,000 to 26,000 in the United States.
Here, our experts share 6 reasons why it's more important than ever for children to receive the flu vaccine this year.
- Minimizing flu cases will reduce stress on already overburdened healthcare systems.
- Unlike COVID-19, the flu can actually be more dangerous in young children than adults.
- It’s safe, and it reduces your risk of getting a severe case of the flu.
- The more people who get flu shots, the less community spread — and the less risk for those more vulnerable to the illness.
- The flu and COVID-19 share many symptoms. Avoiding the flu may mean avoiding an unnecessary COVID scare.
- While there’s limited data on having both the flu and COVID-19 at once, it’s a potentially dangerous situation we want to avoid.