Health Watch is a Public Service of the Office of News and Publications and is intended to provide general information only and should not replace the advice of a medical professional. You should contact your physician if you have questions about any of these topics.
We're talking about preparing for flu season this week on Healthwatch. While it's important for older adults and those with chronic health conditions to be vaccinated against the flu, doctors at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas say having children vaccinated can make a big difference in stopping the spread of the flu.
Dr. Octavio Ramilo, a UT Southwestern pediatrician, says school-age kids are frequently at risk of spreading the flu virus. They tend to forget to wash their hands frequently, have close contact with a lot of other children and may get physically closer to others than adults, who tend to like more personal space. Vaccinating kids also can help protect higher-risk people they may come in contact with.
Look for announcements from your local health department to find out when healthy children may be vaccinated.
###
October 2005
Health Watch is heard Monday through Friday nationwide on the "Stardust" format of ABC Satellite Radio. Call your local radio station and ask if they carry the program.
