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Protect Yourself With The Flu Vaccine
The flu (or influenza) is more than a harmless nuisance. It is a contagious disease, with complications that can cause serious problems. In fact, this year, up to 20 percent of the population will get the flu. And unfortunately, over 200,000 will be hospitalized due to flu complications.
The flu can cause fevers, headaches, sore throats, runny noses, nausea and aches and pains. And its complications can range anywhere from ear infections, sinus infections and bacterial pneumonia to the worsening of chronic conditions, such as asthma, diabetes and congestive heart failure. In extreme cases, the flu can even cause death.
Seniors and children are especially susceptible, so it’s important to take action to protect yourself and your loved ones. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the following steps:
1. Take time to get a flu vaccine.
- The CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against this serious disease.
- While there are many different flu viruses, the flu vaccine protects against the three main flu strains that research indicates will cause the most illness during the flu season. The vaccine can protect you from getting sick from these three viruses or it can make your illness milder if you get a different flu virus.
- Getting a vaccine is very important for people at high risk for serious flu complications, including young children, pregnant women, people with chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes, heart or lung disease, and people 65 and older.
- People who live with or care for those at high risk should also get a flu vaccine to protect their high-risk contact.
2. Take everyday preventive actions.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
- Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
- If you get the flu, the CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
3. Take flu antiviral drugs if your doctor recommends them.
- Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaler) that fight against the flu by keeping flu viruses from reproducing in your body.
- If you do get the flu, antiviral drugs are an important treatment option. However, they are not a substitute for vaccination.
- Antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious flu complications. This could be especially important for people at high risk.
- For treatment, antiviral drugs work best if started soon after getting sick (within two days of symptoms).
Who Should Get The Flu Vaccine?
According to the CDC, anyone who wants to reduce their chances of getting the flu should get vaccinated. Children and the elderly have a higher risk of contracting the disease and a higher risk of developing serious flu complications, so the flu vaccine is highly recommended for these groups, as well as for those who live with or care for them.
If you fall into any of the following groups, the CDC recommends that you get immunized against the flu each year:
- Children aged six months up to their 19th birthday.
- Pregnant women.
- People 50 years of age and older.
- People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions.
- People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.
- People who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from flu, including:
- Health care workers.
- Household contacts of persons at high risk for complications from the flu.
- Household contacts and out of home caregivers of children less than 6 months of age (these children are too young to be vaccinated).
Who Should Not Get The Flu Vaccine?
The CDC has noted that some groups should not be vaccinated without first consulting a physician. These include:
- People who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs.
- People who have had a severe reaction to an influenza vaccination in the past.
- People who developed Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) within six weeks of getting an influenza vaccine.
- Children less than six months of age, as the influenza vaccine is not approved for this age group.
- People who have a moderate-to-severe illness with a fever. Anyone who is ill should wait until they recover to get vaccinated.
When Is The Flu Vaccine Administered?
According to the CDC, yearly flu vaccination should begin in September, or as soon as the vaccine is available, and continue throughout the influenza season – into December, January, and beyond. This is because the timing and duration of influenza seasons vary. Influenza outbreaks can happen as early as October, but most of the time, influenza activity peaks in January or later.
How Is The Flu Vaccine Administered?
There are two types of flu vaccines:
- The flu shot— is an inactive vaccine (containing killed virus) that is given with a needle, usually in the arm. The flu shot is approved for use in people older than six months, including healthy people and people with chronic medical conditions.
- The nasal-spray flu vaccine — is a vaccine made with live, weakened flu viruses that do not cause the flu. The nasal-spray flu vaccine is sometimes called LAIV, which stands for “live attenuated influenza vaccine” or FluMist®. LAIV (or FluMist®) is approved for use in healthy people 2-49 years of age who are not pregnant.
Where Can I Get The Flu Vaccine?
Fewer doctors are able to provide immunization services, and it can be hard to find a place you feel comfortable getting the flu vaccine. Fortunately, your local Medicine Shoppe® pharmacy can provide top-notch immunization care. Our specially trained pharmacists can even come to your company’s worksite – eliminating the need to send your employees to an inconvenient clinic. Click here to find the location of a Medicine Shoppe pharmacy near you. Or learn more about our immunization services by returning to the Immunizations and Vaccines home page or visiting the Specialized Care Center – Immunizations section of our site.
Information for this section of the site was pulled from the center for disease control and prevention web site. Please visit www.cdc.gov if you would like more information on the flu and the flu vaccine.