Flu shots/Covid Shots @@

[mcppalmbeach]

I feel like it’s been discussed here before, but is there a best time to get the flu shot to provide maximum immunity for the season?

My kids all usually get their flu shots at my ds2’s well visit in mid-September. I was feeling concerned about that because I did not want their flu shot to interfere with the potential rollout of the Covid vaccine, but it looks like the CDC has done away with the recommendation of a wait time between Covid and other vaccines, at least for those over 12. I wonder what the recs will be for kids. I can’t seem to find any articles that lean one way or the other about the roll out and whether September is still realistic for the kids’ Covid vaccine.

All this long discussion is because I am now thinking maybe I just take them in august for just their flu shot and get it done, but I’m worried this is a little too early. And I’m sure I’m overthinking. We have to travel in early October due my fil’s wedding and I’m feeling nervous about that.

[pixy0stix]

Any time is a good time for the flu shot, but most recs are to get it in September or October.

[raangoli]

Ditto what Pixy said. We aim for Sept for BB and October for us. We like to get her in earlier bc of school.

[abs]

Since RSV is already so bad I expect flu to hit earlier than usual, too. I personally will be getting my flu shot this week and DD will get hers next week.

[fernweh]

Like others have stated the recommendations I have always got is September-October. That way your body has a chance to build immunity before flu season really picks up and you will still be at the height of immunity as it starts to taper down.

[picksthemusic]

We recommend mid-October for my part of the country (PNW), which will help it last through the worst of our season which usually runs Dec-Mar.

[aprilsails]

I’m in Ontario and our first flu cases usually start showing up just after American Thanksgiving. We don’t do flu shots until mid to late October so that we have protection through to April.

While RSV has picked up, I disagree that it will be a bad flu year. Mask wearing on public transport, in schools, etc had a significant impact on the flu, and will continue to do so. There is also significantly less international travel at this point as well. Canada usually gets our flu strains from Australia, where there have been 435 cases this past year, down from an average of 200,000 in pre-pandemic times.

I will still get my vaccine though!

[sillygoosegirl]

Anyone know how old a kid needs to be to get the flu shot at a pharmacy (vs the pediatrician's office)? Our peds office won't have it until mid-September... but I'd love for her to get it sooner.

[af1212]

Aug 18, 2021 11:16:23 GMT -5 sillygoosegirl said:

Anyone know how old a kid needs to be to get the flu shot at a pharmacy (vs the pediatrician's office)? Our peds office won't have it until mid-September... but I'd love for her to get it sooner.

This differs by state, and also if you are talking about a clinic within a pharmacy (such as a minute clinic which is inside a cvs) or strictly the pharmacy itself.

[picksthemusic]

Aug 18, 2021 11:16:23 GMT -5 sillygoosegirl said:

Anyone know how old a kid needs to be to get the flu shot at a pharmacy (vs the pediatrician's office)? Our peds office won't have it until mid-September... but I'd love for her to get it sooner.

Usually 3 and up. If younger, I'd take your kiddo to the pediatrician to get it done.

[af1212]

Aug 18, 2021 11:53:58 GMT -5 picksthemusic said:

Aug 18, 2021 11:16:23 GMT -5 sillygoosegirl said:

Anyone know how old a kid needs to be to get the flu shot at a pharmacy (vs the pediatrician's office)? Our peds office won't have it until mid-September... but I'd love for her to get it sooner.

Usually 3 and up. If younger, I'd take your kiddo to the pediatrician to get it done.

This is state-specific. In my state you have to be 9 to get at pharmacist, or 18 mos from the clinic within the pharmacy. Each state differs in their rules.

[picksthemusic]

Aug 18, 2021 11:57:49 GMT -5 af1212 said:

Aug 18, 2021 11:53:58 GMT -5 picksthemusic said:

Usually 3 and up. If younger, I'd take your kiddo to the pediatrician to get it done.

This is state-specific. In my state you have to be 9 to get at pharmacist, or 18 mos from the clinic within the pharmacy. Each state differs in their rules.

Like I said - usually.

[af1212]

Aug 18, 2021 12:25:06 GMT -5 picksthemusic said:

Aug 18, 2021 11:57:49 GMT -5 af1212 said:

This is state-specific. In my state you have to be 9 to get at pharmacist, or 18 mos from the clinic within the pharmacy. Each state differs in their rules.

Like I said - usually.

Maybe it’s semantics but to me “usually” means more often than not. This is not true in the US. Of the 50 states I think it’s around 15 that have low or no age requirements. The rest either don’t allow it for kids at all, or require an rx from a doctor first, or have wildly varying age requirements.

[cmeon]

It is technically too early for Florida flu season, but we are taking dd (11) tonight. The rest of us go in October. Florida law changed last year, and now pharmacies can give the flu Vax to kids over 3yo!

[cmeon]

Aug 18, 2021 12:54:28 GMT -5 cmeon said:

It is technically too early for Florida flu season, but we are taking dd (11) tonight. The rest of us go in October. Florida law changed last year, and now pharmacies can give the flu Vax to kids over 3yo!

ETA: We have to run to target for a pick up order so we are planning to just go to their internal cvs (we called no appt necessay).

[lea]

Our pediatrician said to call early September to schedule an appointment for their flu clinics. I want them as protected as possible as soon as I can because who knows what will be going around school this fall. Plus, DD is required to get it for preschool so it’s easier to just get ‘er done.

I’ll probably roll into CVS some day in September when the kids are in school.

[Birdie]

Our hospital does a flu shot clinic every September and October. Last year was drive through and it was amazing. The whole family stayed in the car and they just jabbed us through the window. I hope they do it again like that this year.

[yellow23]

We always get them in October, our pediatrician says she feels they last about 6 months. The only times anyone has gotten the flu in our house was in April and May, so 6 & 7 months after we got the shots. I may consider September this year to at have my kids protected from something this fall. I just got an email from the pharmacy today saying flu shots are now available.

[mcppalmbeach]

Aug 18, 2021 12:54:28 GMT -5 cmeon said:

It is technically too early for Florida flu season, but we are taking dd (11) tonight. The rest of us go in October. Florida law changed last year, and now pharmacies can give the flu Vax to kids over 3yo!

This is great info I didn’t know. My 4yo will lose his crap so he needs to be in a dr office, but it would be nice to take the other two to Publix and get a gift card if they are doing that lol.

[cmeon]

Aug 18, 2021 21:39:27 GMT -5 mcppalmbeach said:

Aug 18, 2021 12:54:28 GMT -5 cmeon said:

It is technically too early for Florida flu season, but we are taking dd (11) tonight. The rest of us go in October. Florida law changed last year, and now pharmacies can give the flu Vax to kids over 3yo!

This is great info I didn’t know. My 4yo will lose his crap so he needs to be in a dr office, but it would be nice to take the other two to Publix and get a gift card if they are doing that lol.

I know, it was ridiculous before-either 16 or 18! We usually just miss the Flu shot at their annuals, so it was always annoying to have to go back just for that- I am so glad they made that change! Target/CVS wasn't running any promos yet, but they had her in and out super quickly. I love that the rest of us can just swing by Publix or whatever together when we're ready, so much more convenient. Do they still do cookies (or did that go away with COVID)? I wonder if it would distract the little guy enough.

[cmeon]

www.miamiherald.com/news/coronavirus/article252727768.html

The results of those studies (which are not based on children, to be clear) pushed us into going for an early flu vaccination for 11yo DD. She attends public middle school in FL (without a mask mandate, social distancing, cohorts, a clear quarantine process, or you know- anything but her own mask and hand hygiene), so the chances of her getting infected (with coronavirus) are not as small as we'd like. Because of the masking and the hand washing, we're not very concerned about influenza this year, but if something we were going to do anyway may help her avoid harsher COVID infections? Cool!

[4speedy]

It depends on where you live—flu season normally hits the east and north before the south and west. August is when physician offices in the north and east usually start getting their vaccines. The south and west usually gets their vaccines a month later. (I used to work for a vaccine distributor). Pretty much, if your doctor has it in stock then it is ok to start giving out shots.

[maudefindlay]

I live in the Midwest and at DD's well visit 2 weeks ago her pediatrician recommended October to get her flu shot to maximize the benefits.

[Scout'sHonor]

Just had a telehealth visit with my dr and asked if the flu shot would be available in 2 weeks when I'm there for my physical. She said probably, but she'd prefer we wait until end of sep/beginning oct for it.

[macmars45]

I always get DS(5) his in Oct. The dr offices never seem to have them in stock any sooner than that and I always call in September to check. I'm in WA state.

H and I always get ours in Oct as well fwiw.

[Mushe]

Ooof, timely conversation. I was chatting with a friend today who is a PA and runs a family practice. She’s recommending a month in between flu shot and booster for adults (or first shot for kids). She’s directing her MA to get people in for the high dose flu shot as soon as it comes in, although she normally likes to aim for mid-late October.

[Susie]

We usually do September for flu shots, because that's when both our kids' pedi office and our primary care office do flu shot clinics, and that's kind of an easy button for me.  I don't think DD (5)'s age group will be authorized for a covid shot less than a month after Sept, so that works well for her.  And in Sept, H & I will only be 5 months out from our 2nd covid shots, so good timing for us too.

[DarcyLongfellow]

I'm glad you asked this. I hadn't thought about timing of the flu shot with Covid shots.

DD1 is a week and a half away from getting her 2nd Covid shot, she just got her Tdap yesterday, and she gets allergy shots every 4 weeks. She just had her well check yesterday-- I should have asked then about timing. They usually suggest we get the flu shot in October here in Florida, so I guess that timing would work.

For DD2, I'm wondering if I should go ahead and get her flu shot asap. I don't know when they'll approve the Covid shot for kids under 12, but I want to be able to get hers right away. You know, since we're in school with no mask mandates, social distancing, or contract tracing. F-ing DeSantis.

[cmeon]

medicine.missouri.edu/news/study-shows-flu-vaccine-lessens-covid-19-symptoms-children

This is an article about an earlier (February) pediatric study (linked in the article) regarding the difference in severity and presence of respiratory symptoms in COVID patients. This study also found that COVID patients who completed the pneumococcal series (generally ends before a child is 2yo) were less likely to experience symptomatic COVID disease (though, not significantly less likely to experience COVID related respiratory illness).

[StrawberryBlondie]

I usually do adult flu shots whenever my work has the clinic (usually September/October) and @@ whenever the pediatricians office has them (also usually September/October).

I don't know if work will do a clinic this year with us all out till at least October 1 but last year they had a drive-through one that I heard was quite nice. We did all as a family at the peds office last year.

Basically, I'll do for myself whichever is more convenient for me.