2011 Flu Season Has Arrived
The 2011 flu season has arrived! Although the flu can be contracted throughout the year, the most likely time is from October through May. The peak is usually January and February. Because the strains of flu do vary from one year to the next, the flu vaccine is developed fresh every year, based on careful projections based on past flu cycles. The protective effect of the flu vaccine wanes from one year to the next. For these reasons, flu vaccine is recommended for everyone 6 months and older, each season.
For those of you with infants at home, it is important that all household contacts (including caretakers like nannies, babysitters etc) be immunized as well. This provides the so-called cocoon effect, which protects from the all too common scenario in which an older sibling, parent or other person spreads the flu to the baby. This kind of family transmission also holds true for whooping cough, which was recently spread from an older family member to a 2 month old baby in our home county recently, resulting in the infant’s death. The tetanus booster, normally given at age 12, now includes pertussis (the bacteria that causes whooping cough) protection as well, for this very reason. It should be given to ALL adults up to 65 years of age, especially if there is foreseen contact with infants under 12 months of age, as per CDC guidelines. Many adult physicians, including OBGYN doctors carry it and should be called to arrange vaccination.
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