Drive through flu shots

Often I roll my eyes at our culture's demand for convenience. I could literally spend the entire day in my car - not getting out once - and still accomplish A LOT. A productive yet staionary day could look like this: drive through for coffee, drive through the bank, drive through the pharmacy, drive through for lunch, drive through the dry cleaners, drive through for a daiquiri (only in Louisiana), drive through the library book drop-off, and pick up dinner curb-side. Whether it's our increasing "drive" for cramming more into our already over-scheduled day or just sheer laziness, America has found a way to make almost everything quicker and more convenient.

And in an effort to stay active and have real interactions with human beings, I try and avoid the drive-through whenever I can (but it's so darn easy to simply drive through when I need a diet coke). 

But there is a drive-through initiative that I can support: drive through flu shots! That is one cause that really is better when made easier!

Face it, no one wants to get their flu shot. Sure they want to be healthy and stay healthy, but a needle in the arm? No thanks. So in an effort to make this less-than-desirable task easier, many groups have worked towards making this less of a hassle and more of a convenience.

Most of us have been to the grocery store when it's announced that flu shots are available near the pharmacy, but now there isn't even a need to get out of your car!  

I first heard about this in my own community. Our county's health board is offering flu shots for a minimal fee at a nearby park. All they ask is that you wear short-sleeves so that your shot can be administered with your window rolled down as you remain seated in your car. Can you believe this? 

I then googled "drive through flu shots," and found that this is a nationwide trend. "Clinics" are popping up all around the country. Many of these clinics offer free shots to individuals on Medicare and Medicaid stating that no one will be turned away for the inability to pay. Wow - how awesome. Efficient and cost-effective! 

If you are interested in driving through for your flu shot, I encourage you to google "drive through flu shots" and the name of your city. 

Because I would feel guilty if I wasn't completely honest, I must admit that I never get a flu shot. I might get a cold a couple of times a year, but that's about it. I have my reasons for not getting the shot, but I'm not a physician, so this certainly isn't my recommendation. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, it is recommend that most people get a flu shot, especially people over 50, children ages 6 months and older, and women who are pregnant. For a complete list of Who Should Get Vaccinated and Who Should Not Be Vaccinated, check out the CDC's website. 

I should also note that there is now a nasal-spray flu vaccine available and is approved for use in healthy people 2-49 years of age who are not pregnant. To my knowledge, FluMist is not available at drive-through clinics, and usually FluMist is only offered per request at your doctor's office.

Vaccinations update

A study reported today in the Public Library of Science evidenced support that the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR vaccine) is not linked to autism. This new research offers the strongest evidence yet on the MMR vaccine and autism controversy.

The National Autism Association released a statement questioning the study's design and methodology.

I merely post this information because it expands on a previous post which sparked some discussion.

Vaccinations - no win situation

Childhood vaccinations - I have avoided blogging about this topic, but it is a hard one to avoid. I am constantly aware of the controversy surrounding childhood vaccinations and the possible links to autism. It's a tough issue because, as a parent, we do not want to make any decisions that might lead to our child(ren) suffering.

Let's start with the facts: 1) The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children receive roughly twenty immunizations by their first birthday, 2) There is no known cause of autism, 3) The rate of autism in children is on the rise (roughly 1 in 150 children have an autism spectrum disorder - that ratio is higher in boys), and 4) According to a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, measles cases in the U.S. are at the highest level in more than a decade, with nearly half of those involving children whose parents rejected vaccination.

This is such a perplexing issue because instead of concrete facts, there is a lot of "speculation" and "recommendation." Sure, we know that immunizations protect our children from deadly diseases, but are we causing them harm by protecting them? Unfortunately, we do not know for sure. It is a big deal when the AAP recommends that children are vaccinated, but as a mother, it is so difficult to trust that recommendation 100% knowing that 1) autism is on the rise, 2) we don't know what causes autism, and 3) there are parents and researchers who swear up-and-down that vaccinations are linked to autism.

As for my family, we found a common ground. Beginning at our son's two month appointment, we only allowed him two immunizations at a time. We spread out his shots over the course of two weeks (most children receive 4-5 immunizations at their 2-month appointment). This schedule allowed us to monitor his reaction (if any) to each vaccine. We also had a hard time understanding how our little 8-lb. baby could handle FIVE immunizations at one time. Giving them to him over a couple of weeks gave us some peace of mind.

But that was our decision, and each parent is different. We all have our intuition and our instincts, and I believe that we should follow those God-given instincts. I am fortunate; my son has handled the vaccines well. We continue to only allow him two shots at a time - that is what works for us. I empathize with all you parents who struggle with this issue. It is a no win situation - the cost of protecting our children just might be the exact thing that harms them. Hopefully someday we will know for sure.