New York City Requiring Flu Shots for Preschoolers

NY Times ^ | January 2, 2015 | SHARON OTTERMAN

[opentalk]

New York City preschoolers will be heading back to class next week with memories of new holiday toys, vacation adventures, and, health officials hope, a flu shot.In fact, because of a new city requirement, young children can, for the first time in the city’s history, be excluded from class if they have not received a flu vaccination.

The new rule, which applies to some 150,000 children in city-licensed day care centers and preschools, was quietly adopted by the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in the waning days of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s administration. 

[Mr Ramsbotham]

Most of the kids who have died from this flu “epidemic” have been vaccinated. Makes you wonder, doesn’t it?

The flu vaccination presents a challenge to the immune system. When so challenged, it's exposed, weakened and vulnerable to anything else that might be invading it.

[Seruzawa]

I’m surprised they still use the old eugenics term “Mental Hygiene”. As if medical authorities had the slightest about human behavior.

[Sun]

Thanks very much!

[Sun]

When I got a flu shot, more than 5 years ago, I got the worst flu I ever had in my life.

[Sun]

“There’s a new pneumonia shot called Prevnar 13...”

Thank you. I hope it works well for her.

[Sherman Logan]

Prevnar protects against certain Streptococcus infections, the most common cause of pneumonia.

But that's only about 50% of the pneumonia cases.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pneumonia#Cause

[LongWayHome]

Yup....it’s not perfect, but for older folks like my mom it’s extra insurance.

[trebb]

There are also concerns about the vaccine’s efficacy. In an average year, the vaccine is about 60 percent effective. Because of evolving strains of the virus, it is expected to be less so this year, the C.D.C. said.

I've seen estimates of 30% efficacy and below with this year's batch.