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Flu Shot Season

Posted By: Tammy Scully

A Simple Remedy for the FLU: GET A SHOT!!!

Every year, on average, about 5-20% of the American population contracts the flu with about 200,000 people being hospitalized from the flu complications. If you need a more sobering fact to take this subject with the seriousness it deserves, about 36,000 people DIE from the flu every year!

How can I protect myself from the FLU?

There is one thing that you can do to protect yourself: Get a flu shot! The flu is an upper respiratory viral infection with symptoms similar to those of the common cold but much more severe. Whereas cold symptoms may come on gradually, the flu is likely to hit you hard on the first day - with fever, chills, headache, and a generalized achy feeling. Good precautions include the following: washing hands often with soap and water (or the second best: an alcohol based hand cleaner), cleaning surfaces, trying to avoid close contact with people who are sick, and getting vaccinated early.

Who needs to get vaccinated?

The flu season often starts in October and can last late into May. Vaccinations can begin as early as September. There are a few who should not get the flu shot: anyone with a moderate to severe illness with fever at the time, people with severe allergies to chicken eggs or the vaccine, or anyone recently diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome.

What is the FLU shot?

The traditional flu shot is made from a killed or inactivated virus so there is no possibility of getting the flu from the shot itself. People have many reasons for not getting the flu shot - not enough time, anxiety about a needle prick, or simply that "it won't happen to me". Unfortunately, the flu CAN happen to you and may make you sick this winter unless you take the action to prevent it.