Again to high school and the beginning of fall imply the unlucky return of respiratory virus season. Between colds, COVID-19 and the flu, there are limitless viruses spreading through the colder months that trigger an array of signs resembling congestion, fever, coughing and headache. There’s additionally a danger of extra extreme issues like hospitalization and even loss of life — and that is very true after a foul flu season final 12 months.
One approach to hold your self and people round you protected against the flu is by getting the flu shot, which is obtainable now at pharmacies and docs’ workplaces all through the nation.
“Everyone age 6 months and up is recommended to get a flu vaccine every year, and the CDC did … reinforce that recommendation for this season as well,” mentioned Sara Lane, the supervisor of Pharmacy Medical Companies at Hannaford Supermarkets, a New England and New York grocery store chain.
Final 12 months, just below 50% of youngsters acquired a flu shot, and 46.7% of adults bought the vaccine. “Getting your flu shot is the No. 1 way to help get you protected against influenza, help protect your friends and family, help decrease the spread … it’s all about that community immunity,” Lane famous.
Flu is a respiratory virus that causes fever, fatigue, physique aches, headache and cough. Whereas some folks can combat it off at residence, younger kids, older adults, pregnant folks and people who’re immunocompromised are among the many teams susceptible to extreme issues, hospitalization and loss of life.
Right here’s what to find out about when to get your shot and why it’s so essential to get it:
September and October are the very best months to get a flu shot, however afterward within the 12 months will be protecting, too.
The very best time to get the flu shot tends to be in September or October. You may as well take into account getting it later, like November, and even into the winter earlier than flu peaks, Lane famous. Flu tends to peak between December and February, in accordance with the Cleveland Clinic.
“Even if we’re later into the season, and you haven’t got vaccinated, it’s still worth [it] to get that protection,” Lane mentioned.
Everytime you resolve to get it, the very best time to get the shot is earlier than flu is “widely circulating and with enough time for you to develop immunity,” mentioned Dr. Geeta Sood, an infectious illness doctor at Johns Hopkins Drugs in Maryland.
It takes two weeks to develop immunity after you get your flu vaccine, in accordance with the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention.
Safety from the vaccine does wane, Lane mentioned, so don’t depend on your shot from final 12 months. Moreover, “the virus that causes flu can change season to season, and so we’re always looking to update the flu vaccine on what viruses we’re anticipating to be circulating that season,” Lane mentioned.
SEAN GLADWELL through Getty Photographs
Final 12 months was a very dangerous flu season, which makes vaccination particularly essential this 12 months.
You in all probability know not less than one one that got here down with the flu this previous winter, that’s, in case you didn’t get it your self. And there’s a purpose for that — “flu season was particularly bad last year,” Sood mentioned.
Flu hospitalizations have been at their highest because the 2010-2011 flu season. “There were a lot more people that were hospitalized than usually are hospitalized, and child mortality from influenza was also very high. So, it was a particularly bad influenza year,” Sood added.
As we head into flu season, that is essential to know. The flu shot might not stop you from getting the illness altogether, however it could actually hold you from getting as sick as you’ll have with out the shot.
“There are some vaccines that are really great at preventing any kind of disease, like the measles vaccine, for example, but [getting the flu shot does not] necessarily mean that you will not get the disease at all, but it will reduce the severity of the disease so that you don’t get super sick, so that you don’t get hospitalized, so that you don’t die from it,” Sood defined.
You might discover delicate signs out of your flu shot, however they gained’t final — and that’s regular.
“The flu [vaccine] is made up of inactive virus,” so you’ll be able to’t get the precise flu from the flu shot, Lane defined. However you’ll be able to develop some post-injection signs which might be indicators your physique is increase your flu immunity.
“You may feel like you have muscle aches, and you may even have a low-grade fever immediately after having the vaccination,” Sood mentioned. You additionally might discover fatigue after vaccination, Lane mentioned.
If you happen to do have signs, you’ll be able to take a painkiller like Tylenol or ibuprofen to really feel higher, in accordance with Sood. It’s additionally essential to get sufficient relaxation and hydrate earlier than and after your shot, Lane added.
Flu pictures can be found at pharmacies resembling CVS and Walgreens, docs’ workplaces, group clinics and pharmacies inside grocery shops. You may verify along with your native pharmacy or physician to schedule your flu vaccine this fall.
