Vaccination Information
Provided here is valuable information on protecting your children for harmful diseases.
Vaccine Information Statements
The National Childhood Vaccine Injury (NCVI) Act requires that all health-care providers give parents or patients copies of Vaccine Information Statements before administering each dose of the vaccines listed in the schedule.
Vaccine Information Statements (VISs) are information sheets produced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that explain to vaccine recipients, their parents, or their legal representatives both the benefits and risks of a vaccine. Federal law requires that VISs be handed out whenever (before each dose) certain vaccinations are given. The U.S. government provides all of these sheets in additional languages are constantly being updated to reflect the latest information.
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Flu Vaccine for Children
Although the CDC in past years has informally "encouraged" flu vaccination for healthy children between 6 and 23 months, this year's official recommendation carries more weight. The change is based on recent studies showing high hospitalization rates for that age group during flu season.
Parents should note that all children under 9 years old who are receiving the flu vaccine for the first time need two shots approximately one month apart to obtain full immunity. Children who have previously been vaccinated need only one flu shot.
Thanks to the new CDC recommendation, PAMF anticipates it will vaccinate more children than usual this year. To streamline the process of providing second flu shots, PAMF has scheduled one-day follow-up clinics for children in December, to be held in the Pediatrics Departments at the Palo Alto Clinic and Fremont Center. Children who attend these clinics should receive their first flu shot at one of the early flu shot clinics.
Children may also receive their flu shots from their primary care physician.
In addition, PAMF strongly encourages vaccination for household contacts of children younger than 23 months. Flu shots are especially important for contacts of infants younger than 6 months.
The current vaccine product is ineffective for infants under six months of age because their immune systems cannot respond to it. Vaccinating household contacts can decrease the child's chance of exposure to the virus.
Additional Flu Information
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