Midmorning With Aundrea - October 20, 2020 (Part 2)

(Part 2 of 4) Aundrea speaks with pediatrician Dr. Keith Watson about the value of getting flu shots for your children.

Ne new research shows how important the flu vaccine is at preventing severe illness in children.

Naomi ruchim talks to a mother who says she made a mistake one year not making the shot a priority.

On the outside, madison allen looks like a typical healthy 22 year old.

But her mom says on the inside, she's been left with signficant lung disease..

She is prone to pneumonia.

So every time she gets pneumonia that just builds more scar tissue into her lungs.

Madison, who had sports induced asthma, was hospitalized at the age of 12 with flu b and pneumonia.

She spent weeks on life support& and dialysis..

With her kidneys failing.

She had a 1% chance of survival.

That year, unlike previous years..

Madison had not received her flu shot.

A new study emphasizes how critical the vaccine can be for children.

Researchers looked at records from several pediatric medical centers during the 2018-2019 flu season..

A season that did not have a well matched vaccine for one of the viruses circulating.

Anywhere between 40% and close to 50%, based on the type of influenza..

The vaccine was able to prevent.

/one third to one half of all hospitalizations and emergency room visits thousands of children are hospitalized every year with the flu and some die.

The vaccine is recommended for everyone over six months old.

Study author dr. marian michaels is with children's hospital pittsburgh.

She reminds parents that the flu can have serious complications for any child.

Shelle now works with the organization families fighting flu.

I'm her mother.

I was supposed to protect her that year and every year, and unfortunately, that year, i didn't do my job.

She wants to get the word out to more parents that skipping the flu shot could mean life or death.

Naomi ruchim, cbs news, new york.

Aundrea self: okay.

All right.

Good morning to you, dr. watson.

Thanks so much for being here.

Dr. watson: good morning, for having me again.

I'm ready to do this in person again.

Aundrea self: you want to know know... we're going to hopefully get you back in the studio very soon in-person, very soon.

We're going to talk about a little bit more about the flu this morning or the flu shot.

You preached this to us and have been since you've been coming on and talking to us, get the flu shot.

I'm assuming nothing has changed.

Dr. watson: nothing has changed.

And it may even be more important this year with the covid-19.

Aundrea self: not that it protects you from covid, right?

Dr. watson: correct.

It does not protect you from covid, but you certainly don't want covid and influenza at the same time.

Aundrea self: when are you suggesting that your parents get their children the flu shot?

Dr. watson: now, the month of october, simply because the vaccine takes a minimum of two weeks, but sometimes up to 30 days, once you get it to reach its full effect kind of in your body.

And so you don't want to wait too late, because if you get it... if you get the vaccine after the flu is already here, it's still very possible to get the flu before the vaccine really becomes effective.

Aundrea self: okay.

All right.

Now is the time to be getting it.

What is the age?

What's the youngest that we can get flu shots for our children?

Dr. watson: six months.

Aundrea self: okay.

Now it's a little bit different for children that dosage wise.

I mean, i got my flu shot about a week ago.

It was just one shot in the arm and that's it.

But i remember when my daughter was younger, we would have to go twice.

Dr. watson: you have to do that if it's the first time that you're getting the flu shot.

It's only that very first time.

We give half the dose followed by another half dose afterwards.

I think the interval is a month, but that's only that first time.

After you do it that first time, then the next year, it's just one shot.

Aundrea self: all right.

We've been hearing so much about the trials going on with the covid vaccine.

And part of that is to make sure it's safe.

We know that the flu shot, the flu vaccine is safe.

Really the only side effects i felt from it was i had a sore arm for about a day.

Dr. watson: my armless for a few days.

Some people do report a minor, very minor, flu-like type of illness, a little achy, a little tired, cough, runny nose.

And i've experienced that myself once or twice over the years, but it's not a case of the shot giving you the flu.

Some people will just experience a little bit of a cold with... but it's pretty rare.

Usually, it's just a sore arm.

Aundrea self: okay.

All right.

The flu season, as you've mentioned, part of this is to get it now so that it's at full efficacy when we get into flu season, which is november through what?

Dr. watson: november through february.

Usually we start to see this kind of dying off as we get to march.

It's not completely gone by the then.

It's just less of an issue.

Mississippi tends to warm up relatively quickly, so we don't see it quite as late.

Now, if you live in another part of the country... i used to live in northern kentucky and our flu season went through april.

Aundrea self: okay.

All right.

Go out and get the shot.

Call your pediatrician and get those appointments made.

It's like five minutes in and out.

Pretty simple dr. watson: yeah.

You don't even have to see me to get the shot if you come to my clinic.

You just come in and get the shot and go.

Aundrea self: those kids want to see dr. watson than when they come.

They got to see you.

Dr. watson: sometimes and sometimes not so much.

Aundrea self: all right, dr. watson.

We appreciate you, as always.

Hope to see you in person very soon.

Dr. watson: absolutely.

Aundrea self: all right.

Take care.

Stay with us, everyone.

We will be