The county health department gave flu vaccines to children as well as adults. Each fall it also worked with Kanawha County Schools on school flu clinics, where students could get a flu shot at school with a signed consent form from a parent.
Flu shots for children in fall 2020
- The health department gave flu shots to anyone 6 months or older.
- Shots were offered at the health department and at all of its COVID-19 testing sites in the county that fall.
- Pediatric offices usually gave flu vaccine only to their own patients.
- In West Virginia at that time, pharmacists could give vaccines only to children age 11 to 17, and a prescription was needed.
Local doctors said a flu shot also made it easier to tell flu apart from COVID-19, because the two illnesses have similar symptoms.
Two doses for some young children
The CDC recommends that children 6 months through 8 years old get two doses of flu vaccine, at least one month apart, the first season they are vaccinated against flu. The first dose primes the immune system, and the second dose gives the protection. A CDC study found that children 2 through 8 who got the two first-time doses had better protection in later seasons.
See also Free flu vaccines at Kanawha County high schools and Health officer reminds residents to get a flu vaccine.
This information is from 2020. It is kept here as a record and is not current advice. Check current flu vaccine guidance from the CDC or your child’s doctor.