Dec 4th – 8th is National Influenza Vaccination Week. If you haven’t been vaccinated against the flu, it’s not too late, schedule your shot today!
The best way to guard yourself and your loved ones against influenza or flu is to get a flu shot every season. Influenza is a contagious respiratory disease that can lead to serious illness, hospitalization, or even death. The Centers for Disease Control recommends that everyone six months and older get an annual flu vaccine.
What are the benefits of getting a flu vaccine?
- Getting a flu shot can keep you from getting the flu. Each year flu vaccination prevents severe illness, doctor visits, hospitalizations, and deaths.
- Keeping yourself from catching the flu also helps protect the people around you. If you don’t get the flu, you don’t spread the flu. This is especially important to those who are more vulnerable like older adults, people with chronic illnesses, and young children.
- If you do get sick, being vaccinated can make your illness milder.
- Getting a flu vaccine can reduce your sick days and save you money. A severe case of the flu can keep you out of work for weeks. Whether you end up in the hospital or recuperating at home, influenza can cost you time and pay.
- Vaccinating pregnant women not only protects them from the flu, studies show that it also helps protect the baby from influenza for several months after birth.
- A 2017 study showed flu vaccines can be life-saving in children.
- The CDC estimates that during the 2021-2023 season, flu vaccine effectiveness in children six months to 4 years was 77%.
- If you have a chronic health condition like heart disease, diabetes, or COPD, getting a flu shot is a critical part of your preventive medical strategy. People with chronic conditions are at an increased risk of serious complications from influenza.
Why do I need a shot every year?
- Your protection from the flu vaccine drops over time. Annual vaccination is necessary to provide the highest level of immunization protection.
- Influenza viruses are constantly changing, this means flu vaccines need to be updated from one season to the next to protect against the viruses that data predicts will be common during each year.
Flu Prevention
The flu spreads easily. Getting vaccinated makes it less likely that you will catch or spread influenza.
A flu shot is the best protection against the flu. In addition to getting a flu shot, it’s a good idea to take the following steps to reduce your chances of getting sick and prevent the spread of germs to others if you do get sick.
- Avoid contact with those who are sick.
- Cover your cough and sneezes.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water.
- Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces and objects.
- Stay home if you are sick.
Flu shots are safe and effective. Millions of people have safely received flu vaccines for decades. For many people, there are no side effects to the flu vaccine. Others may experience generally mild side effects that go away within a few days. These can include soreness, swelling or redness at the injection site, headaches, muscle aches, fever, and fatigue.
Even if you experience mild side effects from a flu vaccine, it’s still a much better alternative to a severe case of the flu, which can last two weeks and result in severe complications.
Flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the throat, nose, and lungs.
Flu is different from the common cold and usually comes on suddenly. Flu can be very dangerous in children, older adults, and people with chronic health conditions. Each year flu viruses cause millions to become ill, hundreds of thousands to become hospitalized, and thousands of deaths.
If you haven’t got your flu shot yet, National Influenza Vaccination Week is a great time to schedule one.
Whether you need to catch up on your routine vaccinations, have health concerns, or it is just time for your annual visit, contact the caring professionals at River Bend Medical Associates for an appointment today. River Bend Medical Associates, cares about your health and as part of your medical team, we are here to provide you with the best care in all aspects of your healthcare needs. For more information on our medical practice, or to make an appointment, contact River Bend Medical Associates, or call 916-392-4000.
