The flu vaccine could save your life or the life of your parents or children. Not everyone is well equipped to deal with catching the flu and this is a very contagious and a very determined virus. The only way to truly prevent the flu in your home is to make sure that the whole family gets the flu vaccine each and every year.
The flu vaccine is the most effective way to prevent illness caused by seasonal influenza viruses. The CDC estimates that the flu vaccine reduces a person’s risk of developing flu-related illness – serious enough to require a doctor’s visit – by 61%.
Children and elderly people are especially susceptible to getting a deadly case of the flu, that is why it is recommended that they get the flu vaccine given to them every year before flu season. Flu season is generally from fall to spring. If you are in a high-risk situation you should get your flu vaccine as soon as you can, hopefully in September sometime.
There is a reason that there is a new flu vaccine put out each year and it is not just so that the drug companies can make more money. The flu as a virus is always changing and as soon as it changes the flu vaccine that you have already gotten will no longer be effective at stopping this flu. That is why each year scientists look at the likely strains of the flu to hit and then make up a flu vaccine to combat them in particular.
Even if you get the flu vaccine this year you could still catch the flu. This is because not all of the flu strains can be put into every flu vaccine. So what you get with the flu vaccine is the most likely strains to appear that year, if a different strain does appear then you could catch it because you have not had the flu vaccine for that one strain.
A flu vaccine does lower your chances considerably, if you do get the flu vaccine that is put out every year you will probably not get the flu. It comes down to chances. Without the flu vaccine your chances of getting the flu are huge and with the flu vaccine they are only a fraction of what they were before. These are good odds and they are definitely good enough that you should all be contacting your doctor about getting your flu vaccine today.
The CDC lists some of the reasons why you should get the vaccine.
- First and foremost- can keep you from getting sick with flu
- Helps protect women during and after pregnancy
- Is an important preventive tool for people with chronic health conditions
- Can reduce the risk of flu-associated hospitalization for children, working age adults, and older adults.
- Can be life-saving in children.
- Has been shown in several studies to reduce severity of illness in people who get vaccinated but still get sick.
The flu vaccine is easy to get, all you need to do is phone your doctor and make an appointment. Let them know that you want to come in for your flu vaccine and they will tell you if they have any available to give you. IF they do you can make an appointment to go in and get your flu vaccine and if not you may have to wait a little longer.
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