Each year, influenza kills more people in the U.S. than all other vaccine-preventable diseases combined. For the 2008-2009 flu season, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics have expanded the recommendation for flu vaccination to include all children ages six months to 18 years.
The Children’s Regional Hospital at Cooper is pleased to bring parents this information about the new guidelines for children and the importance of flu vaccines. Please make an appointment with your pediatrician and take your children to be vaccinated. There are a small number of children who should not be vaccinated and you should discuss this possibility with your family’s doctor. Read the full story
A flu shot is a good idea for everyone, but certain groups of people – such as those with cardiovascular disease (CVD) – should make an extra effort to be vaccinated. Unfortunately those with CVD are more likely to die from complications caused by the flu than others. About 36,000 people die of the flu and more than 200,000 are hospitalized from flu complications each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Read what Perry J. Weinstock, M.D., FACC, Director of Clinical Cardiology at Cooper University Hospital, says about a new recommendation from the American Heart Association.
