OPM, HHS Urge Federal Employees to Get Flu Shots

The flu jab is the safest way to help protect you and your baby against flu, no matter how many months pregnant you are or however fit and healthy you may feel. It is not possible to predict the severity and exact strains of the flu that will affect each season, but another equally high-risk season is always feasible. More than 80 percent of doses are created to protect against four flu strains. “Having this vaccine is a tool to help us avoid the flu”. By contrast, there were 16 million deaths worldwide (116 thousand U.S.) from World War 1.

A special high-dose seasonal flu vaccine is once again available for senior residents of long-term care facilities. “Reported coverage was consistently higher among health care personnel working in hospital settings than among those working in other settings; health care personnel working in hospital settings were also the most likely to report workplace vaccination requirements”.

The NHS offers a free vaccination injection for adults and children who are considered “at risk”, as well as children aged two to nine on August 31, 2018. Getting vaccinated is key for preventing you from getting the flu.

According to Susan Rehm, M.D., an infectious disease expert at Cleveland Clinic, flu vaccine protection lasts for about six months, so those who get vaccinated in the fall should be protected through the spring.

There is no live flu virus in flu shots. In fact, most flu vaccines are “inactivated” which means they contain no actual influenza (flu) virus at all. They may be skeptical about vaccines in general. Celeste Philip. “Every person who can, should get their vaccine before Halloween to protect themselves and those they love from the flu”.

Myth #4: “The side effects are worse than the flu”. Children who get the flu have the same symptoms as adults – including fever, chills, aching muscles, headache, stuffy nose, dry cough and sore throat.

To patients who say that receiving the vaccine every year is not good, Dr. Jean Longtin responds: it is true that studies have raised this question, but there are more studies that say the opposite, and the sum of these studies tipped the scales in favor of annual vaccination. They can not cause the flu. Not only is that statement completely false it is totally impossible! A dead virus can not reproduce and therefore can not infect a person.

There are suggestions for helping contain the virus and keep it from spreading to others.

The flu shot did not work well previous year as the vaccine only reduces a person’s risk by 40 percent.

“It’s important to get vaccinated against the flu since influenza, a serious, contagious respiratory illness, caused by flu viruses, that can lead to hospitalization and sometimes even death”.

You can find out where to get your flu shot by visiting Public Health Sudbury and Districts’ immunization page.

“Not only will you protect yourself, but you’ll also be playing a part in helping stop the spread of the virus this winter”.