In 2017-18 season, 183 children were lost to the flu virus – the worst count since records began. About 80 percent of those kids hadn’t received a flu shot.
MYTHS THAT PARENTS CARRY:
- More than half (53 percent) of the parents (of kids and teenagers under the age of 18) surveyed think that flu shots can actually infect people. Flu vaccine uses the proteins and not live flu viruses.
- Approximately one-third of parents surveyed said they believed that flu shots don’t protect against the flu. While it is not 100% foolproof, it mitigates the effect of flu significantly. After receiving the shot, it takes your body about two weeks to build up antibodies to fight the flu.
- 30 percent of parents indicated they thought the flu shot was a conspiracy. THIS IS NOT TRUE.
- 28 percent believe that flu vaccine can cause autism. NOT TRUE.
Health authorities in Florida identified the first child death nationwide from flu for the 2018–2019 season.
Talk to your doctor. Don’t let your child become a statistics.