Flu season is nearly here, so it's time to get your flu shot.
Jade Elliott sat down with Dr. Per Gesteland, a pediatric hospitalist from the University of Utah School of Medicine and Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital, on this episode of the Baby Your Baby Podcast to discuss the importance of the vaccine and why you and your family should get it every year.
Influenza vaccine is available. Get your flu shot now – or at least by the end of October.
Influenza vaccination is an essential component of prenatal care. Pregnant women who are worried or confused about vaccination can get information form the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology website, and should talk to their doctor.
Influenza vaccination is recommended for most everyone over age six months.
Children aged six months through eight years who require two doses should receive their first dose as soon as possible to allow the second dose by the end of October.
Insurance should cover the influenza vaccine and it is easy to get at your local pharmacy, doctor’s office or local health department, and at many workplaces.
Influenza is the most common cause of death in children and adults of all the vaccine preventable illnesses in the U.S.
Influenza vaccine is safe and effective and prevents thousands of deaths and hospitalizations each year.
The influenza vaccine teaches your immune system to be more efficient at fighting the virus.
Feeling symptoms of a sore arm, muscles, low grade fever or fatigue is not an allergy to the vaccine, those are just some symptoms people can feel when their immune system is learning how to fight an infection.
While you still may feel symptoms of influenza if you are exposed to the virus, the vaccine is designed to help keep you out of the hospital or dying from the infection.
In an average year 3 to 11 percent of people nationwide are infected with the influenza virus and have symptoms from it. More are infected when you count those who do not have symptoms. Rates can also be higher in severe influenza seasons like we had two years ago.
GermWatch.org is a great tool for parents.
GermWatch.org is a tool developed by the University of Utah and Intermountain Healthcare.
It gives general information about:

Trending illnesses in Utah and their symptoms
Suggestions to help alleviate symptoms and when to be seen by a doctor
Prevention recommendations.

To learn more about flu season, click here.

The Baby Your Baby program provides many resources for all pregnant women and new moms in Utah. There is also expert advice from the Utah Department of Health and Intermountain Healthcare that air each week on KUTV 2News.