Flu Clinic 2023-2024 Season
Our flu vaccines have arrived!
Dear Patients,
We hope your family has been having a safe and healthy summer! It’s certainly been a year, unlike any other, and we hope everyone is happy and thriving.
As we get ready for fall, we wanted to remind you that, per the American Academy of Pediatrics, it is highly recommended to come in for your flu shot this year. Now that we’re going through a global pandemic, it is more crucial than ever to be vaccinated against influenza. Making sure that each of us is protected against the flu is one of the many ways that we can support hospital workers and look out for our immunocompromised friends.
In terms of scheduling, flu shots will look a little different this year as we adjust to the ongoing pandemic. This season, flu shots will not be performed on a walk-in basis; instead, we feel that it is better to schedule flu shots in order to adhere to social distancing guidelines.
We will be offering both ” flu” shots and Live, attenuated influenza vaccine (called “LAIV”) or Flumist” This is a nasal spray vaccine that may be given to non-pregnant people 2 through 49 years of age. According to the CDC they are equally effective.
Flu shots will be scheduled in 15-minute intervals between 9:00-11:00 am and 1:00-4:00 pm. We encourage you to schedule your flu shot through your online patient portal account — you will see an option for a provider labeled ‘flu shots’ — or to give the office a call at 202 -758 -3210. We ask you to commit to your scheduled appointment as we would like all of our families to get vaccinated this year–a lot goes into making sure we are safe during this time.
If you are unable to make it to your appointment, we ask you kindly let us know so we can give someone else a chance. This year all FLU shots will be accounted for, and we will not be able to get more.
Flu shots will be offered to all patients during scheduled appointments (check-ups, med checks, sick visits, etc.). Parents will have an opportunity to get vaccinated at this appointment. When scheduling and checking in, please notify the front desk that you would like to get a flu shot, as this will help speed up the vaccination process for your family.
Best wishes,
Dr. Ariza & the West End Peds Team
