Flu and Covid Vaccines 2024-2025

VPAC is happy to announce that we finally have the updated 2024-25 Covid vaccines for our patients!  We know that it has been a struggle to find vaccines for the under-5 crowd at local pharmacies etc. and appreciate your patience with us.

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We now have Moderna vaccines for ages 6 months and older.  Those 5 years and older only need one dose of vaccine, regardless of prior immunization status.  Those under 5 who have completed the primary vaccine series also only need one dose of the vaccine now.  Those 6 months through age 4 who have not been vaccinated yet need 2 doses of the Moderna vaccine, at least 4-8 weeks apart.  If your child under age 5 has received 1 or 2 doses of Pfizer vaccine but not the full 3-dose series in the past, please call our advice nurses for guidance on completing the primary series; we can help with this so your child is fully protected.

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If your child has been ill with Covid recently, we recommend waiting 3 months until vaccinating.

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Please do not come to walk in sick clinic or just walk in for these vaccines.  We are offering Covid shots at our flu shot clinics (see SignUpGenius links on our website below) as well as at scheduled well visits and conferences.   We are unable to vaccinate siblings at scheduled visits unless they are scheduled for their own visit that day; please sign them up for a shot clinic if they do not have an upcoming scheduled visit.  Please let the nurse/medical assistant who is bringing your child(ren) back to an exam room know if they will be getting a Covid vaccine today—the vaccine has to come to room temperature for at least 15 minutes before administration.

We will be ordering more Moderna Covid vaccines repeatedly and restocking as we run low.  We really appreciate your patience as our staff and providers try to continue to provide sick and well care as well as helping with this vaccination effort to keep our community healthy.

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FIGHT THE FLU CAMPAIGN 2024-25

The Fight the Flu Campaign has begun at Virginia Pediatric and Adolescent Center. Flu vaccines start
producing effective immunity 2-4 weeks after immunization, and the most effective immunity lasts about
6 months and can fade after that; circulating virus strains can also change later in the flu season. For that
reason, we emphasize trying to get all children and other family members vaccinated in the fall, ideally by
the end of October, per CDC and Virginia Department of Health recommendations, to provide maximum
protection for late fall through winter and early spring. We are pleased to be offering protection to our
patients and to their parents and in-home caregivers.

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The 2024-25 influenza vaccine we are administering protects against the following strains: A/Wisconsin
(H1N1), A/Massachusetts (H3N2), B/Austria (Victoria lineage); both A strains are different than ones
covered in last year’s vaccines. All 2024-25 flu vaccines in the U.S. are trivalent, protecting against 3
strains. The strains are selected based on recent/predicted flu strain activity; immunity lasts for one flu
season, so those vaccinated last year should receive vaccine again this season. Influenza vaccination is
RECOMMENDED for ALL children and adolescents 6 months and older, their household contacts, and
their caregivers. It is especially encouraged for children in daycare, for adolescents living in dormitories,
and for travelers. It is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED for patients over 6 months of age with asthma,
congenital heart disease, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, sickle cell anemia, HIV
infection, chronic kidney disease, Down syndrome, for those on chronic aspirin/steroid therapy and for
those immunocompromised because of chemotherapy or an immunodeficiency. Those in contact with
anyone in this group should also be vaccinated, as should everyone in the household (including
caregivers) if there are any children from newborn to age 5. After vaccination it takes two to four weeks
for protection to develop, and protection lasts for up to 1 year. As with any vaccine, protection is not
100%. If a patient does get influenza, the illness is typically a milder one in a patient who has been
vaccinated. Dosing for flu vaccines requires a 2nd immunization in children under age 9 who are
receiving the vaccine for the 1st time. The 2nd vaccination is needed >4 weeks after the first dose.

Inactivated Influenza Vaccine (Flu shot--Fluzone): Because this inactivated influenza vaccine contains
only non-infectious viruses, it CANNOT cause influenza. Respiratory disease after vaccination represents
coincidental illness unrelated to influenza vaccine. The most frequent side effect is soreness at the
injection site. A small percentage of patients report fever or muscle ache occurring 6-12 hours after
vaccination. These effects usually last 24-48 hours. Most report no reactions. This vaccine is
contraindicated in patients with a history of a life-threatening allergic reaction to a dose of flu vaccine or a
severe allergy to any part of this vaccine (thimerosal or other ingredients), or anyone who has a history of
Guillain-Barre syndrome, or in illness (mild illness is usually ok, but discuss with a provider if you are
sick). If your child has a history of severe/anaphylactic egg allergy, please discuss this with your provider
before the vaccine is administered. Fluzone contains a small (25 micrograms) amount of mercury in the
form of thimerosal. It is used as a preservative in Fluzone, the brand of flu shot offered by our office.
Upon request, and for children under age 3, we have a preservative-free vaccine; FluMist is also
thimerosal-free. The CDC Vaccine Information Sheet for flu can be found at
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/vis/vis-statements/flu.html

Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine (LAIV) (Intranasal--FluMist): This vaccine was reformulated to
be more effective than it used to be, and per the CDC and American Academy of Pediatrics it is an equal
alternative to the shot this season. Due to unpredictable manufacturing and delivery timelines we have
not ordered FluMist for the 2024-25 season, and we are focusing on getting our patients and families
protected with the injectable vaccine (flu shot).