Give kids a f lu vaccination this year

Q: I’m reluctant to get my kids, ages 2 and 9, the flu vaccine, but this year our pediatrician says it’s required — at least by his practice. They’ve never had the flu and I don’t want the flu shot to make them more vulnerable to COVID-19. What do you think I should do? — Jessie G., Joplin, Missouri

A: A lot of folks are hesitant to get the flu shot for their kids (and themselves). A new study from the University of Colorado School of Medicine found that 6.1 percent of parents are hesitant to give their children routine childhood vaccines, but a whopping 25.8 percent are reluctant to have them get the influenza vaccines.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says compliance is even lower. In the 2018-19 flu season, vaccination coverage with at least one dose was 62.6 percent among children 6 months through 17 years.

As the saying goes, “He [or she] who hesitates is lost.” And there is a lot to lose if you hesitate to get your kids the flu vaccine, especially this year.

Getting children (and adults) the 2020-21 shot can reduce the risk of simultaneous infections or consecutive infections with the influenza virus and SARSCOV-2. We fear kids risk severe illness, even death, if they get the two viruses around the same time.

Furthermore, the flu shot does not increase the risk of contracting COVID-19, as some on social media have claimed. For data and details, go to Factcheck.org.

Q: My wife and I like to have dinner late, after the kids have eaten and we’ve put them to bed. But now she says she’s going to eat dinner at 6 p.m. with the kids, because she wants to lose weight. Can you help me talk her out of eating dinner earlier? — Steve D., Chicago

A: Sorry, Steve, but your wife is onto something that’s very important for you (and everyone) to pay attention to, whether you want to shed extra pounds, stabilize blood glucose or just maintain your health.

A new study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism backs up what we’ve been saying for about two years (check out Dr. Mike’s recent book, “What to Eat When”): You want to eat 75 percent of your daily calories before 2 p.m., and finish eating for the day more than three hours before bedtime.

One of folks’ biggest mistakes is eating most of their calories late in the day. And once you have your early, light dinner, you want to start a period of fasting that is 12 hours or longer.

Email questions for Mehmet Oz and Mike Roizen to youdocsdaily@sharecare. com.