Get Your Child An Early Flu Shot Say Pediatricians

It's almost that time of year again - runny noses, fever, coughing, and all those nasty germs everywhere. October marks the start of flu season, and even though that may feel like a long time away, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends getting your children the flu shot sooner rather than later.

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Dr. Jean Moorjani, a Florida pediatrician, says that by getting the flu shot early you will be providing the most protection to your child during flu season.

"You won't be fully protected for about two weeks after you get the shot. What I say to patients is to try and get your appointment by Halloween," says Moorjani.

For children aged six months to eight years old, two shots might be necessary depending on if they've ever received the shot before. For children over the age of nine, one shot should do.

The 2018-19 flu season set a record for being the longest in nearly a decade after it didn't end until April. It put a record number of people in the hospital.

Moorjani adds that even though it is still possible to get the flu after receiving the flu shot, depending on how well the vaccination matches this year's strain, your body will still be better protected compared to if you didn't receive it.

"You're priming your body to fight should it get exposed," says Moorjani. "You might get a fever of 100 or 101, not 105. And you'll be sick three to five days, not seven."