State's Flu Shot Rule for Preschoolers Helped
When vaccination rates rose in Connecticut, serious complications dropped, report finds
And, he noted, flu shots are free for anyone who has health insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid.
For people who aren't insured, the state provides flu shots for free at community health centers, Hadler pointed out.
Dr. Jose Rosa-Olivares, director of the pediatric care center at Miami Children's Hospital in Florida, said efforts such as the one in Connecticut to standardize vaccination might have benefits.
"We know the proven benefit of the flu vaccine, and the more people that get vaccinated, the better it is for the community," he said.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone 6 months and older get a flu shot every year.
Another expert thinks that because the flu vaccine has been shown to be effective, it is reasonable to mandate it around the nation before children are allowed to go into daycare or preschool.
"This is not saying that all kids have to have a flu shot. But if you're going into daycare you better have one because you are putting other kids at risk -- and if you don't like it don't go into daycare," said Dr. Marc Siegel, an associate professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City.
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