Not sure if you should get vaccinated against flu this year?
Seasonal flu is a virus that spreads easily and can make you sick. Getting a flu shot is one of the best ways to avoid getting the flu.
Everyone six months of age and older needs a flu vaccine each and every year. The composition of the flu vaccine changes each season (see below) which is why getting the vaccine each year is key. For children six months through eight years of age who have only received one flu vaccine prior to July 2020, they should receive two flu vaccines this fall (four weeks between the vaccine doses). For those 65 years of age and older, there is a high dose flu vaccine available that contains four times the antigen (the part of the vaccine that gives your body protection from the virus) to hopefully provide additional protection for this older population.
-Dr. Mindy Calandro, MD
Here are 5 good reasons why you need a flu shot this year:
- Flu vaccines change each year to protect against the most common strains of flu expected
- Flu shots make it less likely you’ll get sick from the flu or spread it to others
- Even if you get the flu, your illness is usually milder
- It takes 2 weeks for the vaccine to work so get it as soon as possible
- You can’t get the flu from a flu shot – it is not a live vaccine
If you haven’t gotten a flu shot yet, now is the time to do so.
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Date Last Reviewed: August 12, 2020
Editorial Review: Andrea Cohen, Editorial Director, Baldwin Publishing, Inc. Contact Editor
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