State laws often prevent parents from walking into a pharmacy and getting their children vaccinated for the flu, reports CNN.
Public health experts say that’s costing children’s lives. “Parents should have no barriers whatsoever to getting a flu shot,” said Dr Irwin Redlener, director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University.
“It’s what we’d call a no-brainer.” Currently, 40% of children don’t get a flu vaccine, and public health authorities are keen to change that. Flu kills children every year; last year, 143 children lost their lives to the flu.
Another reason to get children vaccinated: With their less than ideal hygiene, they’re powerful at spreading the flu to others.
Source: CNN