Christmas break is a perfect time for youngsters to get vaccinated against influenza and COVID-19, said Becky Johnson, director of the Southeast Kansas Multi-County Health Department.
“It usually takes about two weeks for the vaccines to take full effect. By the time kids start school again, they could be well on their way to being fully covered,” she said.
Johnson said children will likely be exposed to a host of new germs over the holidays as they interact with extended family members.
“It’s not too late to get the vaccines,” she recommended. COVID-19 is now regarded as endemic, meaning it’s become part of our viral woodwork, much like influenza, and can be guarded against through a series of vaccines and boosters.
Beginning the week of Dec. 4, one of every 10 diagnoses reported to Kansas health care facilities were either COVID-19 or influenza, according to information relayed by Johnson.
A full 25% of diagnoses involved acute respiratory illness. Of those, 4% were for RSV, Respiratory Syncytial Virus, among children.
