(Wampsville, NY – Dec. 2013) Each year, the flu causes people to experience a fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, muscle aches, chills, and miserable days spent in bed instead of at work or school. While every flu season is different and unpredictable, the seasonal flu can be serious, even deadly for some people.
Everyone 6 months and older should get a yearly flu vaccine. The single best way to prevent the flu is to get a flu vaccine every flu season, even if you got the vaccine in prior years. Flu vaccination can reduce flu illnesses, doctors’ visits, missed work due to flu, as well as prevent flu-related hospitalizations and deaths. The vaccine is a safe way to protect yourself from the flu and potentially serious complications, like pneumonia.
Flu vaccines (as a shot or nasal spray) are made each year to protect against the flu viruses that worldwide surveillance indicates are the most likely to cause widespread illness during the upcoming season. There are different flu vaccines available so talk to your doctor about which one may be right for you. One flu vaccine is not recommended over the other. The important thing is to get a flu vaccine every year.
Neither the flu shot nor the nasal spray vaccine can give you the flu. The most common side effects from a flu shot are a sore arm and maybe a low fever or achiness. The soreness is often caused by a person’s immune system making protective antibodies to the killed viruses in the vaccine. These antibodies are what allow the body to fight against flu. The nasal-spray flu vaccine might cause congestion, runny nose, sore throat, or cough. If you do experience them at all, these side effects are usually mild and short-lived, lasting 1-2 days after vaccination.
Get your flu vaccination to protect you and your family now. Flu vaccines are offered in many locations, including doctor’s offices, clinics, health departments, retail stores and pharmacies, as well as by many employers and schools.
Find where to get the flu vaccine at a location near you at www.healthymadisoncounty.org.