The following information comes from the Maryland Department of Health

It’s that time of year — many children may get cold-like symptoms, including a runny nose, coughing, sneezing, fever, or a decrease in appetite. Most will feel better in a few days or weeks. But for some children, cold-like symptoms turn out to be a seasonal virus such as flu, RSV, and COVID-19 that can be serious. Some infants and children who are immunocompromised or living with a chronic medical condition could get a serious virus that leads to breathing difficulties or a trip to the hospital. The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) urges parents and caregivers to take steps to help protect loved ones against serious viruses.

It’s safe and effective for children to receive a flu shot and COVID-19 vaccine on the same day. Find a flu clinic or COVID-19 vaccine at marylandvax.org or contact your primary care provider, pharmacy, or local health department.

More about vaccinations

MDH recommends all children over 6 months of age receive the flu vaccine each year in early fall. It’s not too late to receive the vaccine now. Children under 5 years of age are at risk of getting seriously ill from the flu, and older children can spread it to high risk family members. MDH also recommends the new COVID-19 booster, which is safe for children 5 years of age and older, who have received their primary COVID-19 series shots, and received their most recent booster at least two months ago. For more information, visit MDH’s RSV webpage.