Child Dies From Flu Here in Michigan. Should You Get a Shot?
There is such a vaccine controversy today. Different sides battling over the need for COVID vaccines and others. Now on top of that it's flu season and we are arguing again over the need for a flu shot.
Well, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has confirmed the first influenza-associated pediatric death in Michigan for the 2022-2023 flu season, and that's a hard pill to swallow, so to speak.
The reported death was a child from Ingham County who contracted Influenza A/H3. On a national scale, there have been at least 111 influenza-associated pediatric deaths reported during this current flu season. Doesn't that seem unacceptable and in many cases avoidable?
What do the "experts" have to say?
“It’s not too late to get the flu vaccine,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive for MDHHS. “Once children reach six months of age it is recommended they receive two doses of the flu vaccine for their first series. In addition, pregnant women should get the flu vaccine during each pregnancy. Flu vaccine can be given at the same time as other vaccines, including the COVID-19 vaccine.”
It is so sad that each year, influenza claims the lives of children across the United States.
MDHHS strongly recommends that everyone six months of age and older get a seasonal flu vaccine. Flu can be serious and lead to severe illness and hospitalizations. Flu vaccine is the best way to prevent getting the flu and can also reduce the severity of flu illness as it's rated at a 54% efficacy rate this year.
To find flu vaccine near you, call your health care provider, local health department or visit Vaccines.gov. And for Michigan visit Michigan.gov/flu.
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