We weren’t able to get the H1N1 shot for my children until early this year (late January). Are they still protected?

Ask the Pediatrician

We weren’t able to get the H1N1 shot for my children until early this year (late January). Are they still protected?

Don’t count on it. The shots you got for the last flu season could provide you with some lingering immunity against this year’s flu viruses, but there’s no guarantee. If your children had two doses of the H1N1 shot, there may be some residual effects, but no one knows how long that protection can last.

According to the latest guidance issued by the Department of Public Health, physicians should administer the trivalent flu shot this year. This 2010/2011 seasonal flu vaccine will offer the coverage provided by last year’s separate H1N1 shot as well as protection against two other strains of flu virus -- so you won’t need to get the two separate immunizations you got last year. A single shot will protect you and your children against all strains of the flu virus that are expected to be circulating this coming winter.

Keep in mind that the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that all children and adolescents 6 months of age and older receive the trivalent influenza vaccine this flu season. While your whole family should get immunized, children with high-risk conditions (e.g., asthma, diabetes and neurological disorders) and pregnant women are highest priority. Also make sure that any regular household contacts and out-of-home care providers of children younger than 5 years of age get their flu shots.