The Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) and the World Health Organization recommend annual vaccination for children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years. Children are vulnerable to the flu throughout the year especially during the winters and monsoons.
It may take about 2 weeks to develop antibodies after getting the vaccination, which is why it should be taken 2 to 4 weeks before the monsoon or winter. Children under 5 years are not only at a higher risk of complications from the flu but can also spread the infection to others in the community .
Respiratory droplets that contain the virus can directly reach healthy people, or indirectly if they fall on surfaces e.g., the door that is then touched by someone who is not sick. Many recover in a few days or weeks. But children under the age of 5 years, especially those who are under 2 years; and those with long-term medical conditions may sometimes become very sick with the flu and need to be hospitalized. Speaking about the need for Annual 4in1 Flu vaccination, Dr Prince Parakh, Director, Newborn And Child Care Clinic, and Senior Consultant (Pediatrics and Neonatology), NeotiaGetwelMultispeciality Hospital, Siliguri says, “Vaccinating children before the winter season can protect them from seasonal flu.”