32 THE QUEENS COURIER • HEALTH • SEPTEMBER 17, 2020 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
health
Should children still get a fl u shot during the COVID-19 pandemic?
BY QNS STAFF
editorial@qns.com
@QNS
While parents have been focusing on
keeping the family safe during the pandemic,
the arrival of the new school year
brings up the yearly fl u shot. COVID-
19 is still a threat, and some may forget
even to get the fl u shot or have the
kids get their annual shots. We chatted
withDr. Beata Dygulska, Pediatrician,
and Director of the Newborn Nursery
at NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn
Methodist Hospitalon the importance
of the fl u shot during
COVID-19.
Should kids
get the fl u
shot?
Every child over 6
months of age should
get the fl u shot (with the
exception of children with
previous anaphylaxis or an
extreme reaction to the vaccine).
Ideally, the fl u shot
should be administered as
soon as it is available as it
takes a few weeks for it to
reach its full eff ectiveness.
Each year children suff er
severe illness and even death
as a result of the fl u. Getting
your child the fl u shot is an
easy, safe and eff ective way
to keep them healthy. Th is
winter will be even more
challenging as we face the
COVID-19 pandemic with
symptoms that overlap with
the fl u infection.
How can you tell the differencebetween
the flu and
COVID?What are the different
symptoms and what
should a parent do if their
child comes down with certain
symptoms, e.g., when should a parent
keep a child home from school?
Unfortunately, fl u symptoms are very
similar to COVID-19 symptoms. If your
child experiences symptoms like fever,
cough, stomach-issues, body-aches, they
should be kept at home while you get in
touch with your healthcare provider.
Children that are infected with COVID-
19 are also at risk of developing MIS-C
(Multi-System Infl ammatory Syndrome
in Children). MIS-C usually develops several
weeks aft er the COVID-19 infection
and is a result of an overactive immune
system response to the virus. Th e MIS-C
syndrome is very rare, however, can be
life-threatening and requires immediate
medical attention. Symptoms of MIS-C
include high fever, abdominal pain, respiratory
distress and/or a rash.
Does the fl u shot help withCOVID?
Th is is still unknown, there is currently
no data that supports the idea that the fl u
shot may help with COVID-19. However,
the fl u shot is still very eff ective for the fl u
and is the best available option to keep
your child as healthy as possible during
the pandemic.
Is COVID-19 in children diff erentthan
in adults? If yes, how so? Why?
Children are aff ected less frequently and
less severely by COVID-19 than adults
and while a child that is infected with
COVID-19 may show little to no symptoms,
they can still be contagious. Recent
evidence suggests that children have the
same or potentially higher viral loads as
adults do in their noses and can spread
the virus easily throughout their homes,
schools, camps, etc. Th is is why handwashing,
social distancing and wearing
masks is critical in preventing the spread
of the virus.
As we head into fl u season, is there
any other information or guidance you’d
like to share with parents about fl u/
COVID in children?
Your child’s mental wellbeing is very
important in this time. Just like the rest
of us, children are worried about themselves,
their family and their friends, so
it is important to reassure them that they
are safe. Try to maintain a normal routine,
talk to them, listen to what they
have to say, give honest and accurate
information, monitor their behavior and
health, and reassure them about their
safety and well-being. Teach your children
everyday actions like hand-washing,
wearing a mask (over 2 years of age),
and social distancing. And don’t forget
the fl u shot!
Caregiver self-care: Tips to help address your emotional health
Caregiving for a loved one
can put a strain on even the
most resilient people. Add
in the uncertainties of the
COVID-19 pandemic and it
has the potential to feel challenging.
Th is means that fi nding
ways to thrive and continue
to take care of your own
well-being is more important
than ever.
It can be hard to cope at times,
and some of the outlets you
may have used in the past to
handle stress may not be available
or ideal during social distancing.
Fortunately, there are
several resources that may help
you take care of your emotional
health while also keeping safety
top of mind.
Recognize how
you’re feeling
No matter what your particular
situation might be, caregiving
may take a toll on your physical,
mental and emotional wellbeing.
Th e Family Caregiver
Alliance encourages you to
express and try to address all
of your emotions, especially the
tough ones. Try to identify the
emotions you’re experiencing;
this might include everything
from fear, to guilt, to resentment.
It’s important to remember
that these emotions are normal
and not something to be
ashamed of.
Take action
To be an eff ective caregiver,
taking care of your own needs,
both physical and emotional, is
essential. Th ere are several tools
and resources available to help
you maintain your own wellbeing
and make time for selfcare:
* Virtual mental health visits.
Consider scheduling a virtual
visit with a licensed therapist
or psychiatrist. If you already
see a mental health provider,
contact him or her to see if you
can continue sessions online or
over the phone. You can also get
support by speaking to a trained
counselor at SAMHSA Disaster
Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-
5990 or by texting TalkWithUS
to 66746. Or download the
Sanvello app on your phone,
which has plenty of resources
for taking care of yourself.
* Take advantage of free exercise
programs. Exercise may
be a great way to destress and
improve your mood. At-home
workout resources are plentiful
these days - including livestreamed
classes and complimentary
app trials. Th ey’re all
available online, oft en at no
extra cost.
* Create and follow a healthy
daily routine. Keep your schedule
consistent when it comes to
meals and bedtime. Get enough
sleep, aiming for seven to nine
hours a night, recommended
by the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC).
Maintain a healthy diet and try
to stay active with walks, yoga,
gardening or other activities
that allow you to practice social
distancing. Carve out time during
the day to focus on your
breathing, stretch or meditate.
* Stay informed. Knowing
important information about
the outbreak and learning how
to be prepared may reduce
stress and help calm anxieties.
However, too much exposure
to news coverage may lead to
greater feelings of anxiety or
panic. Try to limit your research
to reliable sources, such as the
CDC and the World Health
Organization. And keep up with
recommendations from your
local public health authorities.
* Talk to your loved one.
Chances are, the person you’re
caring for may have similar feelings
and fears. Th e Mental Health
Foundation says, “talking about
your feelings isn’t a sign of weakness.
It’s part of taking charge of
your well-being and doing what
you can to stay healthy.”
If stress gets in the way of your
daily activities for an extended
period of time (defi ned as several
days in a row), the CDC recommends
calling your health
care provider.
If you want to get more helpful
resources on caregiving, you can
also visit the UnitedHealthcare
caregiving website at https://
www.uhc.com/caregiving.
— BPT
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