Get Your Flu Shot Now! - CDC

Summer is over and we're heading for a cold season, it's time to get this year’s flu shot to keep you and your family protected this flu season.

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Dr. Tom Frieden, reminded the people to take their flu shot last Thursday at the annual National Foundation for Infectious Diseases press conference on flu vaccines.

“If we could increase vaccination coverage in this country by just five percent more, that would prevent about 800,000 illnesses and nearly 10,000 hospitalizations. Flu vaccine is one of the best buys in public health.”

The 2016 flu vaccine has two basic types: 1. flu vaccine that gives you protection from three strains of flu 2. vaccine that gives you protection against four strains of flu

Both flu vaccines will protect you against H1N1 (swine flu), H3N3 and a Type B strain. The only difference between the two is that the “quadrivalent” vaccine also protects against a second Type B strain. 

CDC didn't say which one you should get, but obviously the more coverage the better it is. Frieden said what is important is get your shots immidiately since “The problem is that a vaccination deferred is often a vaccination forgotten.”

CDC also recommended this year to get your Flu shots through vaccine not nasal spray form after concerns arose last year about the effectiveness of the spray.

Don’t wait until the last minute to get your shot since it takes time to build the antibodies to fight the flu. In adults, the shot takes effect after about 2 weeks. For kids under 8 who may need 2 shots to be fully vaccinated, injections have to be spaced more than 4 weeks apart, so the earlier they get the 1st shot, the better.

Flu shots save lives, flu can give you fever, chills and muscle aches and it can lead to complications like  pneumonia, blood infections, diarrhea and seizures. Flu can even lead to death, especially for the very young or the very old. 

Flu shots are also extremely important for pregnant women, since they have increased risk of hospitalization and death from flu.

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