New guidelines for evaluating flu pandemics

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention unveiled a new pandemic severity index today. It categorizes how virulent a flu strain may be.

A Category 1 pandemic is the least severe. That would require sick patients to stay home.

A Category 5 is considered highly deadly and would require states to close schools and cancel large gatherings.

A new public service announcement is also part of the effort. It encourages Americans to learn about pandemics and what they might need to do if one strikes.

Take 2 of these...

Two is better than one when it comes to protecting your child from the flu.

A new study finds infants and toddlers given two doses of the influenza vaccine are less likely to contract flu, pneumonia and other flu-like illnesses.

One dose, researchers found, does not appear to have any effect at all.

You can read more in the Journal of Pediatrics.