flu vaccine

While not perfect, vaccinations are the best bet for avoiding a bad case of flu or COVID-19 this fall and winter. The CDC recommends these vaccinations for ages 6 months and older.

Despite flu activity spiking in Florida, pediatric vaccine levels are lagging behind the rest of the country.

It's not uncommon for cases of respiratory illness to rise in the winter months, but health officials are still encouraging vaccination to protect folks during gatherings.

The vaccines were more than 40% effective in preventing adults from getting sick enough from the flu that they had to go to a doctor’s office, clinic or hospital, health. Officials generally are pleased if a flu vaccine is 40% to 60% effective.

Anyone who wants to get vaccinated shouldn’t wait. It takes a couple of weeks for a flu vaccine to become fully effective.

According to the CDC, just under 42 percent of Florida’s population ages 6 months and older received a vaccine last flu season — the lowest level in the country.

Dr. Leandris Liburd, associate director for minority health and health equity at CDC, explains the urgency in a conversation with WLRN's Veronica Zaragovia.

The move is a reversal of Facebook's longstanding reluctance to block problematic content. Critics say public health misinformation has flourished on the social network.

There's evidence that certain vaccines boost the body's defense against many kinds of illness. Scientists are investigating whether this benefit extends to protection from COVID-19.

If you want to get a flu shot, Florida Blue is offering drive-up vaccination clinics beginning Wednesday in four locations around the state. The clinics…