Recommendation for Influenza Immunizations
Jefferson Pediatrics strongly encourages parents to immunize their children against influenza every year. In most years we begin giving these vaccines as early as September. Vaccines should be received in time to achieve immunity by December, which is the earliest that influenza generally arrives each year. All members of the Jefferson Pediatrics staff are vaccinated each year.
The influenza vaccine can be administered to anyone 6 months of age or older. Patients under 9 years of age who are receiving the vaccine for the first time will need two doses, with doses administered one month apart.
There are two types of flu vaccines — an injection-administered vaccine and a nasal vaccine. The nasal vaccine can be given to patients older than 2 years of age who do not suffer from significant chronic illness such as asthma or diabetes. In some cases, if children have not needed to use Albuteral in the past year, they may be able to receive the nasal flu vaccine. Research has shown that the nasal vaccine tends to be more protective in children than the injected vaccine.
Please note that all of the Jefferson Pediatrics flu vaccines for infants and children under 3 years of age are preservative free.
Receiving a flu vaccine requires a scheduled appointment.