October 22, 2000
Other Illnesses
Question from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA:
How concerned should I be about the shortage of flu vaccine this year, and what can I do about it? Flu season is rapidly approaching, and my 10 year old with type�1 has not been immunized. Our doctor and hospital still do not have vaccine. I understand that once he is inoculated, it takes several more weeks for immunization to “take hold.” This makes me very nervous, as an episode of flu would certainly put him in the hospital. Any suggestions?
Answer:
There’s not much you can do to make the vaccine available sooner, but you can make sure that your son gets it as soon as it does arrive. Meantime, you can make sure that you check sick day procedure with your son’s diabetes team and don’t assume that getting the flu means having to go to the hospital.
DOB
