Approximately 36,000 people in the United States die from influenza every year, and more than more than 200,000 have to be admitted to the hospital because of this disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The flu is no joke! I’ve had it, complete with the coughing and aches down to the bone. I was out of commission for about a week! Now I get the flu shot every year, and it seems to be doing its job.
Flu season starts in October with the peak months December through February. It’s a good idea to be vaccinated before the peak months; however, any time is better than not at all!
Your body should produce antibiotics against specific flu strains about 2 weeks after being vaccinated. And I say specific strains because the vaccine doesn’t protect from every single flu virus out there. It would be great if it did, but the reality is these flu “bugs” change quite often, so we need to get a new vaccine every year to keep up with them.
There are 2 ways you can be vaccinated:
- The Flu Shot: This uses killed flu viruses. The viruses can't multiply inside your body and make you sick with the flu. The flu shot is approved for people older than 6 months, including healthy people and people with chronic medical conditions.
- The Flu Mist (Nasal Spray): This is made with live viruses, but they're too weak to actually cause the flu. It is approved for use in healthy people 2-49 years of age who are not pregnant.
Don't get the flu vaccination if you:
- Are allergic to eggs/egg products (eggs are used in making the flu vaccine)
- Are an infant under 6 months of age
- Have ever had a severe reaction to a flu vaccination
- Have Guillain-Barré syndrome
- Have a fever
Talk to your health care provider or county health department if you'd like more information on receiving the flu vaccination.
Above all, have a happy and healthy autumn!
Related Posts -
Breast Cancer Risk Factors for Women There are a number of ailments that women are actually at risk for developing without actually realizing it. For example, breast cancer risk factors for women are much more significant than they come to realize in many situations. Of all the types of cancer that you can get, breast cancer...... -
Top Health Issues of 2007...and into 2008 The following is a list of prime health issues from 2007 that are expected to persist into the New Year. Green Energy This trend isn’t about to go out of style any time soon. More and more people are buying products that are supposed to be healthier for the environment...... -
Butter vs. Margarine - Who's The Bad Guy? Food can be confusing! What's good for you one day is labeled bad the next - or visa versa. Take butter, for instance. In the past, it was branded an evil food and something to avoid; the next day margarine was the bad guy. So which is it? Let’s take...... -
Eating Healthy Fat for a Healthy Body Being healthy is a really important component in a healthy lifestyle. What many people do not realize is that one of the most important components in a healthy lifestyle is eating healthy fat. You may not previously have been aware of the fact that healthy fats exist, but they do....... - Why You Catch the Flu in the Winter and Other Related Info... Here's another piece of information to store in your head: It appears scientists have realized why influenza outbreaks occur primarily in the winter. Influenza viruses survive in the cold, dry air better than in a warmer, more humid environment. That's why the flu is uncommon during the summer or in......
Related Websites - Common virus may cause high blood pressure Excessive sodium, stress, lack of exercise---now add cytomegalovirus to the list of possible causes of high blood pressure. CMV, a common type of herpes virus (an estimated 50-85% of adults are infected by age 40, according to one source) has also been linked to hardening of the arteries and may......
-
Older Adults Low on the Priority List for Swine Flu Vaccine According to the Center for Disease Control the priority list for the H1N1 (commonly known as the Swine Flu) vaccine does not include people 65 and older. In addition to the common annual outbreaks of seasonal flu, there are two strains of flu that are among circulation in the United...... -
The Kinds Of Insurance You Probably Do Not Need. I came across this interesting article over at MSN Money that listed the 10 kinds of insurance that you probably do not need and thought I would share it you. Mind you this list is not all inclusive or exclusive; but rather a nice guideline for people new to buying......
- 3rd quarter goal update I nearly forgot to do my goal update this quarter, probably because most of them have slipped my mind. What were they again? Here we go. Of those, in the third quarter I've... Looked into requirements for opening a SEP IRA Continued contributions to 401(k) Paid a minimum of $35......
-
Go Organic, Develop Antibodies and Fight Swine Flu Virus It is believed that people who were born before 1920 possess the antibodies to fight against this virus. This means that it will help to resist this virus if people go organic in every aspect of their life....
Categories:
1 comment so far ↓
[...] fact, the nurse was even kind enough to give me a piece of candy and a colorful band aid! I think getting a flu vaccination is very important, and I have had a flu shot pretty much every year for the past 10 years or so. Luckily, I [...]
Leave a Comment