Flu vaccine this season is more important than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends all children 6 months and older to get the flu shot.

Influenza and COVID-19 will be spreading this fall and winter. Both have similar symptoms and hard to tell them apart. That is why it is crucial to get the flu vaccine this season. The sooner is the better. 

Both the flu and COVID-19 can cause no symptoms or an illness with mild to severe symptoms. Influenza symptoms show up about one to four days (two days on average) after being exposed to a sick person. COVID-19 symptoms appear about two to 14 days (five days on average) after being exposed to a sick person.

 

It appears more likely that otherwise healthy children get serious illness from the flu than from COVID-19, especially if they did not get a flu shot.