Give It a Shot

The flu season is just around the corner. Getting a flu shot can help reduce your risk of getting influenza. In case you are wondering whether or not you should get a shot, here’s some helpful answers to common questions about the flu and flu shots:

What is influenza?
Influenza is a viral infection that sickens millions of people each year and has the potential to cause serious complications, especially in children and older adults.

What kind of protection does the flu vaccine offer?
A flu shot is between 70 percent and 90 percent effective in warding off illness, depending on your overall health, and the length and intensity of a given flu season.

In a few cases, people who get a flu shot may still get the flu, but they'll get a much less virulent form of the illness and, most importantly, they'll have a decreased risk of flu-related complications — especially pneumonia, heart attack, stroke and death — to which older adults are especially vulnerable. It takes about two weeks following a flu shot for your body to develop antibodies to the flu.

Why do I need to get vaccinated every year?
You need an annual flu shot because the vaccine changes from year to year. The flu vaccine from last year wasn't designed to fight the virus strains in circulation this season, or next.

Flu Shot vs. Nasal Spray

Both the flu shot and the nasal spray protect you from influenza. But there are differences you should take into consideration before deciding between the two.

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Who should get the flu vaccine?
Most people who want to reduce the risk of having influenza can get a flu shot. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the flu shot in particular if you are pregnant; are 50 years old or older; have a chronic medical condition; are a child care worker or healthcare workers, or live with or care for someone at high risk of complications from the flu.

Who shouldn’t get the flu shot?
Don't get a flu shot if you have had an allergic reaction to the vaccine in the past; are allergic to eggs; developed Guillain-Barre syndrome, a serious autoimmune disease affecting the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord, within six weeks of receiving the vaccine in the past; or have a fever.

Why do children need two doses of the flu vaccine?
Children younger than 9 years old require two doses of the flu vaccine if it’s the first time they've been vaccinated for influenza. That's because children don’t develop an adequate antibody level the first time they get the vaccine. Antibodies help fight the virus if it enters your child's system. If a flu vaccine shortage were to occur and your child couldn't get two doses of vaccine, one dose might still offer some protection.

-- Source: The Mayo Clinic

Give It a Shot: Your Best Bet for Avoiding Influenza

Flu Shot vs. Nasal Spray