Articles
Preparing for Flu/COVID Season
The “new” flu vaccine is now available. It is designed to significantly reduce our risk of hospitalization or death the next time we come down with flu. When almost 300 children died last flu season (the worst flu season I can remember), only 14% of the deceased had received flu vaccine during that flu season. Extensive research showed that if children had received flu vaccine last season, that they were 80% less likely to be hospitalized or die if they became infected. We are not aware of any patient in our practice who has ever suffered any permanent injury because of any nationally recommended vaccine. We offer flu vaccine in all our offices Monday through Friday on a walk-in basis (9 AM – 12 Noon; 2 – 4 PM).
Our experience with COVID (Coronavirus Disease) has been extremely similar to what we have gone through with flu. COVID virus changes unpredictably making it necessary to make a new vaccine on a regular basis, just like flu. The vaccine will not prevent all infections, but vaccinated individuals are 50% less likely to suffer brain, heart, or lung complications when they become infected. When the politicians pushed the vaccine to market during the election season in 2020, the vaccine had not been carefully tested by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), and there were some deaths that were thought to be due to one of the first vaccines. The unsafe vaccine was removed from the market. We have now given well over 700 million doses of our current COVID vaccines without any evidence that these newer vaccines are harmful. There is no evidence that children or healthy young adults (under age 60) need more than 2 doses of COVID vaccine. Children can receive COVID vaccine beginning at 6 months of age, just like flu vaccine. We offer COVID vaccine to all eligible patients, just like we do flu vaccine, Monday through Friday on a walk-in basis.
Source:
David T. Tayloe, Jr., MD, FAAP
Founder, Goldsboro Pediatrics, PA
Op-Ed Section - Goldsboro News-Argus
September 16, 2026
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