WHAT’S THE SAME? WHAT’S DIFFERENT?
What hasn’t changed in the time of COVID is the importance of making sure your child is protected from the flu. What has changed is the urgency.
Both influenza and COVID-19 are serious illnesses. But did you know that influenza appears to be more severe in children than COVID? For anyone who likes data, here’s a startling statistic:
The risk of hospitalization in children and adolescents younger than 18 years from COVID-19 is less than one-fifth the risk of hospitalization from influenza during the 2019-20 season for the same age group. (source AAP News, August 2020).
With COVID-19 continuing to circulate in our community, it is likely that some people, including children, will be co-infected with both viruses. While we don’t have enough data yet to say for sure, it makes sense that if a child were to get both COVID and influenza at the same time, the result would be more severe disease. In fact, the preliminary experience from China suggests this could be the case.
The benefits of an annual flu vaccine are clear: decreased flu illnesses, hospitalizations, and death.
The urgency is also clear. Children appear to have a greater risk from influenza than from COVID-19. And the combination of the two diseases at one time could have serious health consequences.
Please help keep your children healthy. Call today to schedule your child’s flu vaccine.
Saturday Clinics: October 2, October 16 8:30 am – 12:00 noon
Weekday Clinics: Tuesday/Thursday beginning September 28 8:15-9:00 am & 3:45-4:45 pm