Does an October Birthday Protect Kids From Flu? – Medscape

TOPLINE:

Young children with October birthdays may be better protected against flu, a new study shows. Children tend to receive vaccinations at regular preventive visits the month they were born, and October happens to be an optimal time to get the flu vaccine, the researchers said.

"The findings support current recommendations that children be vaccinated in October preceding a typical influenza season," the authors of the study wrote.

Anupam B. Jena, MD, PhD, with Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, was the corresponding author on the study. The research was published online on February 21 in BMJ.

The availability of the influenza vaccine and the peak of seasonal flu infections vary by year and region.

Researchers disclosed consulting fees from pharmaceutical and healthcare companies unrelated to the study.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.

More:

Does an October Birthday Protect Kids From Flu? - Medscape