Dear Parents
It’s more important than ever to get your family vaccinated against the flu. The flu vaccine can prevent your family from getting sick with flu during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department of Health recommends a yearly flu vaccination for everyone aged six months and older, including pregnant and nursing women, and people at higher risk for flu complications. Even children who learn virtually this fall should get a flu vaccine. You can also help prevent both COVID-19 and flu by washing your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds, covering your coughs and sneezes, staying home when sick, and wearing cloth face coverings when around other people.
Your family should get vaccinated for flu early in the fall, and preferably by the end of October. It is best to get vaccinated before flu viruses start to spread in your community. Flu vaccines are available for the whole flu season at many locations near you, with guidelines in place to safely give vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Visit www.vaccinefinder.org for more information. All children aged 18 and under in Washington can get flu vaccine and other recommended vaccines at no cost. The provider may charge a fee (called an administration fee) to give the vaccine. You can ask them to waive this fee if you cannot afford it. Remember, we may not have a vaccine yet for COVID-19, but we do have a vaccine for the flu. For more information, please visit. www.knockoutflu.org
