Day Care Providers and the Flu Shots

I am an educator and though my school is not requesting or demanding that we get REGULAR flu shots, they are offering flu shots to us at school - excellent. SWINE flu shots are not yet available so that is another issue for a different thread.

This got me thinking. DH and I are only getting the flu shots because we have a small child at home. I never had one before Abby was born for my own reasons.

It makes me wonder if day care centers encourage their workers to get the regular flu shots as well. Nobody can FORCE anyone to get a shot. But to think that someone who is in close proximity to my child for more hours in a day than I am is not protecting themselves and possibly the population they serve leaves me a little unsettled.

Any thoughts or past experiences from BTDT moms of day care kids please share what your centers' do. It isn't going to change where I have Abby in day care, I am just curious. TIA.

Re: Day Care Providers and the Flu Shots

I worked at a daycare center for 5 years and I have never had a flu shot.

It was never mentioned to me either.

Re: Day Care Providers and the Flu Shots

I was wondering the same thing. My mom is admin in her hospital and they are forcing thier employees to get them. If they don't they are being reassigned to non-clincal positions. SO I was wondering if they are making dc providers get them. It would make sense. Like you said.. DH and I are getting them this year since we have a LO.

Re: Day Care Providers and the Flu Shots

I thnk they encourage it at our center by putting out those "government propaganda" signs about immunizations. I am not against the shot but I give this label to some things that our government prints. I think that I am going to get a flu shot for mysellf for the first time in years.

Re: Day Care Providers and the Flu Shots

Funny that you ask this, because on Friday I received literature from The Child Care Council regarding flu season...

Because people that live with and care for children under 6 months of age is one of the 5 primary target gropups, the CDC is stating that they should be amongst the first to receive the vaccine. They are also encouraging centers to increase social distances between children, encourage staff and ill children to stay home and to extend the time for them to stay home...Reactive and preemptive program closures, education in daily health-checks in what to look for regarding the flu etc...

So, yes it does appear that "we" as providers are being encouraged to become vaccinated


Here is a link that the providers were given by CCCS

http://www.flu.gov/professional/school/childfaq.html

Message edited 9/7/2009 9:02:36 PM.

Re: Day Care Providers and the Flu Shots

I'd be interested in asking at my daycare center because we live in NJ and it is now mandated that children under the age of 5 (I believe that is the age) are required to get a regular flu shot... otherwise they cannot attend daycare or schools that are monitored by the state. So I am now curious to find out if the teachers are asked to get one.

I guess for me, knowing that DS has the flu shot is good enough for me. He actually just got his on Friday at his 2 year well visit. That will at least protect him from the strains of flu that are incorporated into the flu vaccine this year.

I got my very first flu shot ever last year when DS was 1 because I wanted to increase my chances of staying healthy for him (and yes I understand that you can still get other strains of the flu even though you had a shot). I got the stomach virus from him and lived through not being physically able to take care of him for 48 hours because I was so sick. So I decided that anything I could do in my power to stay healthy for him, I would do.

I'll have to let you know what my daycare says tomorrow after I drop him off!

Re: Day Care Providers and the Flu Shots

My staff is not required to get the flu shot, although the owner of my school does encourage it.

Ill be honest, I have never had a flu shot, but not for an particular reason.

Re: Day Care Providers and the Flu Shots

I dunno. It just doesnt seem fair to give or encourage to give a child a vaccine that hasn't been around all that long instead of a full grown adult getting that vaccine and avoiding a whole host of issues. I guess I have a lot of thinking to do.