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Actress Tia Mowry is best known for her work in film and television – but in her new role as a mom, she’s focused on protecting her family during flu season.

“I have to be honest with you, flu vaccinations, in the past…it’s something I’ve overlooked,” Mowry, who has a 2-year-old son, said.

But after gaining a better understanding of how big a toll the flu can take on an entire family, she decided to make flu vaccinations a part of her family’s annual routine.

“A lot of people think the flu is just a bad cold. It is not,” Mowry said. “It is something that – especially if your child gets sick with the flu – it could be potentially dangerous.”

Now, a new type of flu vaccine has made it even easier for Mowry to protect both herself and her son from the virus.

“I’m not a fan of needles at all…and my son is not a fan of needles,” Mowry said. “What’s really cool is there’s a vaccination out called FluMist Quadrivalent. This is a needle free vaccination that’s just a nasal mist…they just spray it in each nostril. It’s easy, it’s quick, you’re not leaving the pediatrician with a crying baby. It’s all good.”

The FluMist Quadrivalent vaccine is available for people between the ages of 2 and 49.

For more information, go to InsistOnTheMist.com.