Get the Flu Vaccine

 

Why Should You Get the Flu Vaccine

You may be asking yourself why you should get the FLU vaccine?  After all, it’s only 40-60% effective.  First of all, it is difficult to determine which FLU viral strain there will be in the upcoming FLU season.  The FLU vaccine components are determined based on the previous year’s strain.  This is how the FLU vaccine is made because how well the FLU vaccine works can vary from season to season.  According to the CDC website, “ At least two factors play an important role in determining the likelihood that flu vaccine will protect a person from flu illness: 1) characteristics of the person being vaccinated (such as their age and health), and 2) the similarity or “match” between the flu viruses the flu vaccine is designed to protect against and the flu viruses spreading in the community.” 1

Benefits of the FLU shot

·        One of the benefits of getting the FLU vaccine is that it can prevent you from getting sick with the FLU.  Receiving the FLU vaccine can prevent millions of people getting sick with the FLU virus.  It can also prevent FLU-associated hospitalizations for children and adults.

·       Another benefit is that “Flu vaccination has been associated with lower rates of some cardiac events among people with heart disease, especially among those who have had a cardiac event in the past year.” 1

·       Even if you do get sick with the FLU, if you were vaccinated, the illness may be less severe than if you did not get the vaccine.

·       If you have a chronic disease like diabetes, cardiac disease, asthma, or COPD, the FLU vaccine may help with reduced hospitalizations. 2

·       You can reduce the risk of passing the FLU onto high risk individuals.

I’ve heard that the FLU vaccine can give you the FLU?

This myth is entirely not true.  You cannot get the FLU from the FLU shot.  This has been a misconception from the very beginning.  People may tell you that they got the FLU virus after they received the vaccine.  In fact, these are just mild side effects from receiving the vaccine and can last from 1-2 days.  Again, this is an expected side effect but not everyone gets this.  It is important to remember and tell others that you will not get the FLU virus after receiving the FLU vaccine.

Conclusion

So now that you know some of the benefits of getting the FLU vaccine, don’t you owe it to yourself and other people to get one?  Get the FLU shot today!  It is especially important during this COVID-19 pandemic.

 

1.          https//www.cdc.gov/flu/vaccines-work/vaccineeffect.htm

2.          https://www.ivaccinate.org

3.          https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/misconceptions.html



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