Tag - flu

Provider Alert!
17Nov

Provider Alert! This season a flu vaccine is more important than ever.

Attention Primary Care Providers: Flu season is upon us, and while it is not possible to say what will happen this winter, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) believes we might have an early and possibly severe season due to reduced population immunity. For this reason, it’s important we vaccinate ourselves and our patients to avoid serious complications from the flu and to prevent unnecessary medical visits and hospitalizations, which further strain the healthcare system.  Every person 6 months and older should be...

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Provider Alert!
16Aug

Provider Alert! CHIP Vaccine Updates

Date: August 12, 2022 Attention: All Providers Effective date: September 1, 2022 Providers should monitor the Texas Children’s Health Plan (TCHP) Provider Portal regularly for alerts and updates associated to the COVID-19 event.  TCHP reserves the right to update and/or change this information without prior notice due to the evolving nature of the COVID-19 event. Call to action: Texas Children’s Health Plan (TCHP) would like to inform providers that the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) has completed a comprehensive review of...

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Provider Alert!
20Oct

Provider Alert! This season a flu vaccine is more important than ever

Date: October 4, 2021 Attention: Primary Care Providers Flu season is upon us, and while it is not possible to say what will happen this fall and winter, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) believes we might have an early and possibly severe season due to reduced population immunity since last March. For this reason, it’s more important than ever we vaccinate ourselves and our patients to avoid serious complications from the flu and to prevent unnecessary medical visits and hospitalizations, which...

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03Dec

The Flu and Antiviral Medications

Flu season is here and Texas Children’s Health Plan hopes everyone has received their flu vaccine. If you haven’t gotten your flu vaccine, it’s not too late! When you diagnose a patient with the flu, it’s important to understand when you can treat with antivirals, as well as which antiviral medications are approved and recommended for treatment each flu season. Antiviral medications work best if started within two days of getting sick with the flu. There are currently three antiviral medications that...

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12Oct

Flu protection starts now

Influenza vaccines are available free-of-charge to enrolled providers through the Texas Vaccines for Children (TVFC) program for STAR, STAR Kids, and CHIP members birth through 18 years of age. Remind your Texas Children’s Health Plan patients that the influenza vaccine is a covered benefit. Texas Children’s Health Plan members who are age 7 years and older can also receive the influenza vaccine at a participating pharmacy. Click here for a list of pharmacies.

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01Aug

Flu protection for two: the importance of the flu vaccine during pregnancy

Influenza vaccination is an essential element of pre-pregnancy, prenatal, and postpartum care because influenza can result in serious illness, including a higher chance of progressing to pneumonia, when it occurs during the antepartum or postpartum period. In addition to hospitalization, pregnant women with influenza are at increased risk of intensive care unit admission and adverse perinatal and neonatal outcomes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend that...

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19Dec

Antivirals and the flu: know when the time is right

Antiviral medications play a role in treating influenza, but they are not a substitute for vaccination.  According to CDC recommendations, all patients at high risk for complications who appear to have influenza should be considered for early antiviral treatment, independent of laboratory confirmation or influenza vaccine status. This approach can help reduce morbidity and mortality, particularly in young children and those who have underlying co-morbidities. Clinical trials and observational data show that early antiviral treatment can shorten the duration of...

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11Sep

Flu Protection Starts Now

Flu season is on its way and vaccinating continues to be the best way to protect ourselves and our patients against serious complications from the flu.[1] Patients under the age of 18 should be offered the flu vaccine during office visits, while those over the age of 18 also have the option of receiving it at pharmacies. While the AAP and CDC each support the use of LAIV4 for the 2018-19 influenza season with the goal of accomplishing adequate vaccination coverage...

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25Oct

Flu is back – vaccinate now!

Flu season is back and the flu vaccine continues to be the best way to protect ourselves and our patients against serious complications from the flu. The more people who get vaccinated, the more we can prevent influenza from impacting those who are most vulnerable to complications. In 2017, a study in Pediatrics was the first of its kind to show that flu vaccination also significantly reduced a child’s risk of dying from influenza. What’s new for flu in 2017-2018? Recommendation to not use...

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02Oct

Antivirals and the flu: know when the time is right

Antiviral medications play a role in treating influenza, but they are not a substitute for vaccination. According to CDC recommendations, all patients at high risk for complications who appear to have influenza should be considered for early antiviral treatment, independent of laboratory confirmation or influenza vaccine status. This approach can help reduce morbidity and mortality, particularly in young children and those who have underlying co-morbidities. Clinical trials and observational data show that early antiviral treatment can shorten the duration of...

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