Whether you are a parent, older brother or sister, teacher or caregiver, you play an important role in keeping the kids you care about healthy. Children depend on adults to make important health decisions for them, like scheduling doctor check-ups and making sure they receive their influenza vaccination every year.

Influenza (also called “the flu”) is a real and serious health threat that can lead to hospitalization and death.  Annual vaccination is the best way to protect yourself and the children in your life.

Because of the need to protect children from influenza, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently expanded its flu vaccination recommendations to include all children 6 months through 18 years of age. Yet influenza vaccination rates in young children remain disturbingly low. For example, the rates drop significantly after Thanksgiving because people mistakenly believe it’s too late to vaccinate after November, even though the number of influenza cases typically does not peak until February. The CDC along with the American Academy of Pediatrics and American Academy of Family Physicians recommends that all infants, children and adolescents be vaccinated against the flu every year.

We need you to help protect those you care about by getting the facts about influenza. Vaccination is safe and effective. Learn more about influenza and the benefits of vaccination by exploring the resources on this Web site.

It is easy to get vaccinated, just ask your health care professional, or visit http://flucliniclocator.org/ or http://www.aafa.org/flu.cfm to find a flu clinic near you.