Flu season is just beginning. The time to prepare is now! Knowing your risks and when to get a flu shot is essential for staying safe.
Everyone’s personal risks are different. Knowing your personal risks is essential to keeping yourself safe. Older people and people with health concerns are at higher risk for severe outcomes and hospitalization. The way flu impacts different races also varies. Black people have much higher hospitalization rates.
Taking precautions like washing your hands frequently and coughing and sneezing into your elbow or a tissue instead of your hand can help slow the spread of the illness. You can also protect yourself by taking steps to boost your immune system, like eating healthy foods and getting enough sleep. It’s especially important to protect yourself and get into a good rhythm as the clocks change. Finally, don’t “be brave.” A mild respiratory illness like a cold might be manageable at home. But if you think you have a chest infection or the flu, call your doctor right away. It’s much better to check in early rather than wait until you are extremely ill.
Getting a flu shot is one of the best ways to get protected from the flu. Up to 85 percent of flu deaths and more than half of flu-related hospitalizations happen to people 65 and older. Getting a flu shot can keep you from becoming a statistic. It can prevent flu infection and make flu milder if you do become infected. The flu shot does not cause the flu. It may cause some fatigue, headache, muscle ache or soreness at the injection site. But the side effects are mild and brief compared to the flu.
It’s possible to get the flu shot too early. But we are about to be in the prime time to get the shot. "They always say 'flu before boo,'" said Dr. Darien Sutton in an interview that aired on Good Morning America. "The reason for that is to prime your immune system. As a reminder, it takes about two weeks to develop those protective antibodies and the peak of the flu season is around December to February."
Generally speaking, flu ramps up in October and ends in the spring. But some areas last longer, so knowing your area’s flu season can help you make the best appointment time for you. It offers protection for six to eight months.
You don’t necessarily need to go to a doctor’s office for your flu shot. Here in San Diego, our supermarket pharmacies offer flu shots. Along with the shot, you get perks like a 20 percent off coupon for your shopping. If that’s a perk that sounds interesting to you, it’s worth shopping around to find your best perk and make an appointment today!
