It’s not too late to get your flu shot!

Did you know flu season peaks in January and February? If you thought you had evaded getting the flu, you might not be out of the woods just yet. The good news is it’s not too late to get your flu vaccine. Stop by Plain City Druggist to get vaccinated by one of our pharmacists.

Why should you get the flu vaccine? While it’s true that this year’s flu vaccine hasn’t been nearly as effective as usual, it is still worth receiving. Previous vaccines decreased the likelihood of getting the flu by 50-60%. This year’s vaccine only reduces the risk by 23%. However, that still makes you 23% less likely to get the flu than a non-vaccinated person! In addition, if you get the flu after being vaccinated, you may have milder symptoms and a shorter duration of illness. There are still benefits to getting the flu shot!

The Centers for Disease Control andPrevention (CDC) recommends anyone 6 months and older get a yearly flu shot, especially those who are pregnant, elderly, or young children. Currently pharmacists can vaccinate anyone over 14 years old, but this will change to 7 years old on March 19. There is also a high dose flu vaccine recommended for those 65 years and older. By getting vaccinated you aren’t only protecting yourself from illness, you’re also protecting everyone around you – especially those at higher risk of getting the flu.

Contrary to popular belief, you cannot get the flu from the flu vaccine! The vaccine is an inactivated (killed) virus, which means it can’t cause illness. You may have mild flu symptoms for 2-3 days after receiving the vaccine, but if you end up with the full blown flu, you were probably exposed prior to being vaccinated. The flu vaccine takes 2 weeks to develop antibodies and if you’re exposed during this time you may still get the flu. Getting the vaccine sooner is better. Be careful of exposure during the first 2 weeks after vaccination.

You should not get the flu vaccine if you have a severe allergy to eggs, a history of severe reactions to the flu vaccine, have moderate to severe illness with a fever, or have a history of Guillain- Barre Syndrome.

Flu season can run through May, so there is still plenty of time to get sick if you haven’t received your flu vaccination. Early immunization is most effective, but it’s not too late to get the vaccine in February or beyond. Most insurance companies cover flu vaccines and you don’t need a prescription.

http://www.flu.gov/prevention-vaccination/vaccination/

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/flu/in-depth/flu-shots/art-20048000

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/national_world/2015/01/15/flu-shot-seen-as-just-23-effective.html

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