December is here and so is the flu season, along with the continuation of the COVID pandemic. Lucky us. Even though the flu season last year wasn’t bad, the consensus by the experts is that all the mask wearing, staying home and handwashing helped. We may not be so lucky this year with so many people thinking the pandemic is over. Flu visits us from fall to spring. The length and severity of the season can vary from year to year.
What is the best way to help protect
against the flu? An annual flu
vaccine. It takes about 2 weeks for antibodies against the flu to develop.
Why do we need a new vaccine every year? The flu virus changes and alters itself every year. This is why it
can be so widespread and hard to avoid. That is also why there is a new vaccine
every year.
Who should get a flu shot? Everyone 6 months and older per the CDC.
Some of the flu symptoms that people most often get are:
- Coughing
- Headache
- Muscle or body aches
- Fever (some people do not get a fever)
- Runny or stuffy
nose
- Sore throat
- Fatigue
- Vomiting and
diarrhea (more common in children)
There are certain groups of people who are at increased risk of getting the flu and having dangerous complications. These include:
- Children between 6 months and 5 years old
- Pregnant women and women up to 2 weeks after pregnancy
- People over 65. There
is a high-dose flu shot for these individuals as the immune system response
decreases with age.
- Anyone who has a
chronic medical condition. These include lung disease, asthma, neurological
conditions, blood disorders, heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease,
immune system disorders.
- People with a BMI
of 40 or higher
- Individuals who
live or work in a nursing home or chronic care facility. They have more chances
of exposure to the disease.
Flu and COVID continue to be a risk for
us all. Get your flu shot as soon as possible. Please get your COVID vaccine(s)
if you haven’t gotten it/them yet, and your COVID booster if you’ve already had
your COVID vaccination(s). We want everyone to stay well and prevent illness
the best they can.
PTI wishes you and your family a healthy,
happy, flu-free and COVID-free holiday season. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/season/faq-flu-season-2021-2022.htm
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