Flu vaccine Info




The Good News
PHA now has injectable flu vaccine for all ages. Families may make appointments for injectable vaccine, and we will be giving the vaccine at well or minor sick visits. (See below for on-line appointment scheduling.)

The Bad News
Flumist delivery is delayed.  We received a small amount which is now gone. We gave it to patients who were randomly already in the office for other reasons. Going forward we can not guarantee that flumist will be available at any given appointment and do not want to schedule appointments and then not have the flumist available.  We have been promised another delivery in late October but do not know how much we will get.  At that time, we hope to have enough to open up flumist appointments for at least a limited few days.
Flumist is not available at pharmacies.

Take Away Message
If your child, or another family member is high risk, get the injectable now.
If your child is OK with injectable vaccine, get the injectable now.
If your child really wants the flumist and you are willing to wait until November, sit tight and look for our emails. 

Walk-in Flu Day, Sunday Oct 18, 10 AM - 2 PM
Right now it will only be injectable vaccine - more info as it gets closer.
Extra staff available to expedite the experience.
Nurse visits only, for healthy children over 3 years old.

Please do not allow your child to get any vaccine at a pharmacy. They often do not have the most appropriate vaccine for children.  Many pharmacies do not have the quadrivalent (four strain) flu vaccine, but the older trivalent (three strain) type. Pharmacies do not report vaccines to the NYS registry, and it is important that PHA has a complete record of all your child's vaccines. 

Seasonal Flu vaccine is recommended for all children age 6 mos - 18 yrs, with special emphasis on high risk children such as those with chronic medical conditions and those under 5 years old (see below.)
High risk children - those with asthma, diabetes and other chronic diseases are especially vulnerable to complications from the flu and should make sure they get vaccinated!

Getting your flu vaccine is easy.

Schedule Appointment

Make your appointment online! (or walk-in on October 18th.) 

We have nurse visits and doctor visits open. 
Please read below to see which visit is most appropriate for your child.

Walk in Flu Day - Sunday October 18th 10 AM - 2 PM.
Nurse flu only.  No appointment needed. No doctor flu that day (we will have emergency sick visits as always.)  Just show up and get your flu vaccine from our nurses.  Extra staff to expedite your visit. 

"Flu vaccine with nurse" visits  are available all throughout our schedule, Tuesday through Saturday.
 
Nurse visits do not include time with the doctor and are most appropriate for healthy school-age children without medical problems. There is no co-pay for nurse only visits.
 
"Flu vaccine with doctor" visits are conveniently available at varied days and times.  We will add more nights and weekends as needed. If you cannot find a convenient October appointment time for your high-risk child, please call or  email  the office.
 
You need to see a doctor for your flu vaccine:
 - If you would like your child to receive a physical examination prior to getting the vaccine
 - if your child is considered "high-risk."
 - if your child is under three years old.
 - if other vaccines are due as well.
 - if you need to discuss anything with the doctor. 
 - If your child with asthma has not had a recent "tune-up" including a special breathing test called spirometry.
 
Your child will be examined by the doctor who will review your child's medical history, perform an exam and answer any questions. The doctor will order the appropriate vaccines at that time. Lots of children with asthma can now get the flumist nasal vaccine instead of a shot. Doctor visits require a co-pay.  
 
As always, flu vaccine can be given at regularly scheduled well care visits or any time your child is already in the office and well enough to get vaccine.  You do not need to let us know in advance of the visit.
 
To make an on-line appointment:
-Click the button above to go to scheduling website.
-Select "flu vaccine with nurse" or "flu vaccine with doctor." (We will not know which doctor is doing a specific flu clinic until that day.)
-Choose from the available appointments in real-time.
-Complete the on-line form with your child's information.


Children have the highest chance of getting sick from the flu and often spread the >germs throughout their communities. During bad flu seasons, about 30 percent of school-aged children get sick. Children miss about 38 million school days every year because of flu - and parents miss work to care for them. Nearly 100 children die in the US from influenza every year and approximately 20,000 children under the age of five are hospitalized due to the flu each year. It is well recognized that children often transmit illness to adults. When we vaccinate our children, we protect not only them, but their parents and grandparents, and the most vulnerable members of our society.

Who should receive a flu shot?
Current recommendations are:
- Children with chronic illnesses, asthma, diabetes, heart disease & their family
- All children 6 months - 18 years
- All family members of a baby age 0-24 months
- Children with an immunosupressed family member (ie. someone on chemo.)
- Children with elderly grandparents/great grandparents
- Children with history of pneumonia or multiple ear infections
- Pregnant women
- Adults over the age of 50 years.
- Anyone with an exciting vacation planned for  this winter.
- Anyone who plans on flying this year.
- Anyone with an important life celebration this winter.
- Healthy children and adults who do not want to get the flu.

  Most children and adults need one flu shot for the flu season.
Children under age 9 who did not have any flu vaccine in the last two years will need two shots, one month apart.
All of our vaccine is quadrivalent. 
All of our vaccine for children three and under is thimerisol-free.  Flumist is thimerisol-free.
People with a  previous adverse reaction to a flu shot should not receive flu vaccine.
Children with egg allergy require a doctor visit. They will receive the injectable vaccine and will be required to wait in the office for 30 minutes.
 

Allied Physicians Group - Pediatric Health Associates | 516-931-7337  | www.phapc.com
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