Flu season…it’s the least wonderful time of the year. Between stuffy noses, aches, and nausea, we’d all rather skip it, but every year it insists on turning up again.
Luckily, you don’t have to fall victim to this nasty virus if you make sure to get your family to an urgent care for a quick and easy vaccination!
Check out this quick fact sheet with everything you need to know about the 2017-2018 flu season..from who should get which vaccine to where to find it.
Flu Shot Fact Sheet
2017/2018 Flu Season Specific
- Flu shots will contain:
- an A/Michigan/45/2015 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus
- an A/Hong Kong/4801/2014 (H3N2)-like virus
- a B/Brisbane/60/2008-like (B/Victoria lineage) virus
- Nasal spray is not recommended by the Center for Disease Control
Flu Shot Facts for Every Season
Who
- Flu shots are recommended for anyone 6 months or older
- Nasal spray is not recommended for pregnant women or anyone under 2 or over 49 years
- Flu is the most dangerous for young children, people over 65, pregnant women, and those with underlying conditions
What
- There are two main ways to get a flu vaccine:
- Needle
- Nasal spray
- A new flu vaccine is made every year
- Side effects could include soreness, redness or swelling at the injection site, low fever and aches
When
- You should get your flu vaccination by the end of October in order to be prepared for the peak flu activity in January and February
- After getting the flu vaccination, it takes about two weeks for your body to build up an immunity
- Flu shots expire June of the season (this 2017/18 season’s shot will expire in June 2018)
Where
- You can use the CDC’s vaccine finder map to find a location near you https://vaccinefinder.org/
- Or visit your local urgent care!
Why?
- According the the CDC, those vaccinated against the flu virus are 60% less likely to catch the flu compared to those who do not receive the vaccination
- If you get the flu but have had the vaccine, you are likely to develop much less severe symptoms than someone who did not receive the vaccine
Really?
- Flu vaccines are created with the help of chicken and hen eggs
- The thought that you can get flu from the flu shot is a myth because the virus in the shot you receive is killed
- The nasal spray can produce a small head cold as the virus can replicate in the cold temperature of the nose
Now go get that shot! The flu hurts a lot more.