Plan Ahead for Flu Season

Plan ahead so that you know where and when you’ll get your flu shot this fall. There are many options, including your doctor’s office or your local pharmacy. Some departments of health and employers have flu clinics too.

Why get vaccinated?

• The vaccine helps prevent you from getting sick from the flu, and may reduce flu-related hospitalizations
• If you do get sick, it may make your illness milder
• When more people get vaccinated, the flu spreads less across a community

Who should get vaccinated?

• Everyone six months and older should receive a flu shot each year. Talk to your doctor before getting a flu shot if:
• You have an allergy to eggs or any of the ingredients in the vaccine
• You ever had Guillain-Barré Syndrome (a paralyzing illness, also called GBS)
• You are not feeling well

When should you get the flu shot?

It’s best to receive the vaccine before the end of October, but getting it later in the season can still help protect you. Note that it takes your body about two weeks after getting the shot to develop the antibodies that protect you from the flu.

True or false?

There is a common myth that you can develop the flu from the flu vaccine. This is not true. After the flu shot, you may experience minor side effects such as soreness, redness, fever or swelling at the shot site. These side effects are usually mild and temporary.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention