Getting Ready for Flu Season
Jody R. Murph, MD, MS, Associate Professor of Pediatrics
University of Iowa College of Medicine
Fall 2004

Most health care providers have been planning for months for flu season. To be most successful in preventing influenza infections:

• Start immunizing children October 1 so that you have time to provide the necessary two doses of vaccine, one month apart, for children younger than 9 years who haven’t been immunized before.
   
• Use all clinical encounters, both sick- and well-child visits, to offer vaccine (unless contraindications exist).
   
• Offer flu vaccine clinics at family-friendly times, such as evenings and Saturday mornings.
   
• Don’t be the source of influenza for your patients. The CDC reports that only 36% of health care workers are vaccinated for influenza! Protect your patients by ensuring that you and all your staff are immunized.

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