Child Care Providers on Recommended List for Flu Vaccine

Much has been written on the flu shot or flu vaccine sprayed into the nostrils and its benefits. (Check out the scoop on the flu from About Guide to Pediatrics Vince Iannelli, M.D.) But, if you don't fall into the higher risk categories of those recommended to get the seasonal or H1N1 (swine)vaccines, should you anyway? The answer is definitely yes if you are a child care provider or parent (or even sibling) of a young child.

According to the Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease control and Prevention, all children from age 6 months up to 5 years of age and anyone 50 years of age or older should get an influenza vaccine. Beyond that, the vaccine is also recommended for anyone who lives with or cares for people at high risk for influenza-related complications. And that specifically includes household contacts and caregivers of children from birth up to 5 years of age.

Any family care provider or daycare worker knows that kids bring in a wide assortment of childhood ailments, exposing everyone around them to the bugs. In cold weather months, the risk of communicable diseases and ailments is even greater. Since flu can result in a loss of business by being unable to care for kids, or even worse, hospitalization, or in rare cases, death, sound advice seems to be to get that shot, preferably in October or November of each year, or even later if needed.