Flu season is starting, we need to get vaccinated. As the Centers for Disease Control say it, a flu shot is the best way to protect yourself, family, and the community. Start your protection with flu shots 2016.
Influenza or flu, is a respiratory illness caused by influenza virus. Flu is highly contagious and is usually spread by the coughs and sneezes. The most common symptoms of this are high fever, runny nose, sore throat, muscle pains, headache, coughing, and feeling tired.
One of the best things you can do not only for your health but the health of those you love, is to get a flu shot.
Essentia Health Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. Rajesh Prabhu said it’s a quick and relatively painless way to help keep yourself and those around you healthy this flu season. “Immunization benefits are twofold, they help us protect ourselves, and they help us protect others,” Prabhu said. “Getting your flu shot not only benefits you, it benefits the entire community in which you live.”
It is very important for all 6 months and older to get a flu vaccine once in a year to help prevent the flu and to protect from spreading it to other people. It is especially important for people at high risk of developing a flu-related complication to get vaccinated. This includes; children under 5; adults 65 years and older; pregnant women, and up to two weeks post-partum; and residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.
“The flu shot is one of the most effective ways to improve population health. And it’s especially important that kids get immunized since they are a catalyst for the spread of flu,” Prabhu said.
"The immediate moment when a shot is given may be temporarily painful, but we have to remember why we get the shot. The benefits outweigh the discomfort," he added.
Since children are more prone to gasp virus, it is suggested that all kids must be present in the Center for Disease Control's flu shots 2016 accompanied by their parents or guardian. It is also a must for the children to understand what that flu shot is all about. Let them be aware what are the benefits of that temporary pain.
