5 Things You Should Know About Getting the Flu Shot This Year

Pumpkin spice, sweaters, falling leaves—and the flu. With the change of season comes an increased risk of getting sick, but aside from washing your hands frequently, eating well, and staying hydrated, there’s one other method that will help you avoid the bug this year: getting your flu shot. In fact, it’s your best bet for staying healthy, says Dr. Roger Lovell, M.D., and infectious disease specialist at Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center in Georgia.

“The flu vaccine remains the best way to prevent flu and its serious complications,” he says. “Even if the flu vaccine doesn’t prevent getting the actual flu infection, it has been shown to decrease the severity of the flu.”

10 Ways to Win the War on Colds and the Flu

 

If getting a shot for the flu seems overkill, consider this: The CDC reports that last year’s flu season saw the highest number of flu-related hospitalizations the agency has ever recorded. Although exact figures aren’t yet available, that means the flu put well over 700,000 people in the hospital last year alone.

The flu is much more than just a case of the sniffles; it can be a potentially dangerous virus. With that in mind, we spoke with Dr. Lovell to gather all the info you need about getting vaccinated this year.

7 Superfoods to Boost Immunity During Cold and Flu Season

Where can I get a flu shot?

The easiest way to get a shot is to head to your local pharmacy or urgent care clinic. You can use this handy search tool from the CDC to find a flu shot provider near you.

What’s actually in the flu shot?

The flu vaccine is made up of inactivated parts of the flu virus—not the virus itself. Once injected, your body uses these inactivated components to prepare its defenses by making antibodies that fight off real flu viruses.

Could the flu shot give me the flu?

No. Since the vaccine doesn’t contain the actual flu virus, it won’t make you sick.

What are the side effects?

Because the flu vaccine (like all vaccines) stimulates an immune response in your body, there’s potential for some mild side effects, Dr. Lovell explains. These include pain, redness, and swelling around the site of the injection, and also a low-grade fever or muscle and joint aches. Symptoms like that “usually last less than two days,” he says.

How much will it help lower my risk for getting the flu?

While the effectiveness of the vaccine varies from year to year, it will help to stop the spread of the flu. Dr. Lovell, citing CDC data, notes that last year the vaccine prevented more than 5 million flu illnesses, more than 2 million medical visits, and about 85,000 hospitalizations. So do yourself, and everyone around you, a favor—get vaccinated this year.

The post 5 Things You Should Know About Getting the Flu Shot This Year appeared first on Men's Journal.



from Men's Journal Latest Health & Fitness News https://ift.tt/2NMjtB7

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How Tom Ellis Gained 20 Pounds of Lean Muscle for 'Lucifer'

Image
Two years ago, when Fox canceled their comic book-based series Lucifer , lead actor Tom Ellis made a pact with  trainer Paolo Mascitti that if the show came back he would take the physical preparation for the character to the next level. The show was snagged by Netflix shortly after, and Ellis made good on his promise. Before filming began on each season, Mascitti put Ellis through an intense boot camp. In case you’re not familiar, Ellis plays the devil, who hightails it to Los Angeles to open a nightclub (as one does). Get Motivated for the Gym With This Daniel Craig Post-Injury Workout Photo Read article “I don’t need to work hard to motivate Tom when it comes to the gym,” says Mascitti. “He enjoys being challenged, and listens to any instruction I give him.” The training continues over FaceTime when Ellis arrives on set or is traveling, allowing Mascitti to keep the actor on track and making gains remotely. Ellis has seen the return on his commitment, through the c...
Read more