Many Kids Need 2 Doses of Flu Vaccine
ATLANTA -- While most people will need only one flu shot or spray to guard against H1N1 and the seasonal flu, this year, many children will need two, according to the CDC.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends two doses of 2010-11 flu vaccine for children 6 months through 8 years of age unless they received at least one dose of 2009 H1N1 vaccine last flu season and at least one dose of seasonal vaccine prior to the 2009-2010 flu season or two doses of seasonal flu vaccine last flu season.
The first dose "primes" the immune system, while the second dose provides immune protection, according to the CDC. The second dose should be given 28 or more days after the first dose.
North Atlanta Pediatrics explains it this way on its website: