Flu Season and You
Welcome to our blog! We at Wellness Express hope to keep you up to date with important information from the medical world that every patient should be aware of for the health and safety of themselves and their families.
This week, as we get into September and the new school year, it is especially important to remember a flu vaccination as part of your back-to-school routine. And don’t think it’s just for the kids, everyone benefits from a vaccination against the flu.
The flu is a contagious virus that affects the nose, throat and lungs and can be spread through coughing, sneezing and close contact sometimes before the carrier even knows they’re sick (CDC). So even people who are careful about keeping their children home from school, or staying home from work when are sick, have the chance to spread the disease up to one day before symptoms develop and 5 to 7 days after (CDC).
The best way to avoid the flu for yourself and your family is through a yearly vaccine. The vaccine is injected as a “flu shot” and does not actually contain a live flu virus. There is a second option where a weakened version of the influenza virus is sprayed into the nose for those who are queasy or scared of needles (CDC). The benefit of going yearly is receiving protection for new strains of the flu, as the shot does change each year. While the shot cannot combat every single strain of flu, it will protect against 3 or 4 that are likely to cause disease that year (CDC).
Many people choose to avoid vaccines because they may come with their own set of potential side effects, such as soreness, redness, or swelling at injection site, sore itchy eyes, cough, fever, aches, headaches, or fatigue. But when you weigh the risks of suffering mild side effects for one or two days,as opposed to getting a virus that could become pneumonia or something more serious, the small risks associated with the vaccine are worth the peace of mind you’ll get knowing you’ve taken the right steps to keeping your family healthy.
Don’t wait until you’re sick to make the choice to protect yourself and those you love. Contact us today so we can answer all your questions and get you and your family vaccinated.
Call us at (337)-988-1138 or visit our website to sign up for our on-site clinic today!