Vaccine News & Notes — November 2018

Need information about flu or the vaccine?

Now that autumn is in full swing, you may find yourself looking for information regarding influenza and the influenza vaccine. Here are two of the many places you can find such information:

1. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a dedicated page about influenza that includes information about the disease, prevention, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and more, including where to find flu vaccine.
2. If your hands are full, you can also just ask Alexa. By enabling the “Flu Doctor” skill on an Amazon supported device, the digital personal assistant can answer many common questions about the influenza vaccine, virus and more. In addition, it can help you find places near you to get influenza vaccine. Boston Children’s Hospital and Seattle Children’s Hospital created Flu Doctor in collaboration with pediatrician and mom Dr. Wendy Sue Swanson, also known as Seattle Mama Doc.

‘We lived the worst-case scenario’ — A chickenpox story

Are you an adult who hasn’t had chickenpox or the vaccine? Amanda Dawson wants you to get the vaccine. Read her husband’s tragic story to find out why.

Is this test really necessary?

Ever wonder if you really need that medical test your doctor suggested, but you’re not quite sure who to ask? Choosing Wisely, a project of the American Board of Internal Medicine, aims to help. ChoosingWisely.org and the free mobile app (Apple | Android) offer clinical and patient-centered resources to improve communication between healthcare professionals and patients with the goal of avoiding unnecessary medical tests, treatments and procedures. Check it out today.