'Family flu shot' offers better protection

Get everyone in the family vaccinated at the same time

It's that dreaded time of year: time for flu season.  The Centers for Disease Control says the flu virus tends to spread from October to May, with most cases occurring from December to February. The best defense against the flu for you and your child is the influenza vaccine, so this year some are recommending the "family flu shot."

Dr. Kim Giuliano, a pediatrician at Cleveland Clinic Children's, says the idea is to get the whole family vaccinated all at once.

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"It would be great for the entire family to get vaccinated. There are plenty of family practice and pediatric offices that are willing to vaccinate both adults and children," she said.

Giuliano says to call ahead to your provider to find out if they're willing to vaccinate your entire family at the same time. She says the flu vaccine is very effective, but it's not 100% foolproof. So, by vaccinating your children, and everyone around them, their chances of getting sick will decrease even more.

Giuliano also tells us that you should not wait to get vaccinated. She says the time to start thinking about it is now.

"Early fall is definitely the time to be thinking about it. You want to get your child and the whole family protected before the virus starts circulating," she advised.

The flu vaccine is already available at some providers, so give your pediatrician or your family practice office a call to set up an appointment.  The CDC recommends you and everyone in yoru family 6 months of age and older to get vaccinated.  Ideally, it's best to get the vaccine by October to ensure that as many people as possible are protected as the flu season begins.

Read more from the CDC: What You Should Know for the 2014-2015 Influenza Season