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Flu Shot

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To protect yourself against the flu this year, make an appointment with your primary care provider or walk into any BestMed Urgent Care locations

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Get Your Flu Vaccination to Protect Against Influenza

Getting your yearly influenza (flu) shot from BestMed Primary Care or BestMed Urgent Care is a quick and convenient way to protect yourself from the flu. By immunizing yourself, you also help to prevent the spread of the flu.

In September all of our urgent and primary care clinics will have the influenza vaccine available. Our neighborhood medical centers stock this season’s flu vaccine.

Advantages of early vaccination:

COVID-19 might still be at the top of everyone’s health risk radar, but influenza affects anywhere from five to 20 percent of the U.S. population every year, resulting in 31.4 million outpatient healthcare visits and tragically causing 58 percent of the deaths of adults over age 65. Fortunately, you can reduce your risk, since the best preventive measure that you can take to mitigate your risk of contracting the flu is to get a flu shot.

What is the Flu?

Influenza is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can affect the nose, throat, and sometimes lungs, resulting in mild to severe symptoms. In its most serious cases, it can result in death, particularly among immunocompromised individuals. Like COVID-19, the flu is an airborne illness that spreads from person to person through tiny droplets created by coughing, sneezing, or talking. The virus can spread to others up to six feet away. You are most contagious when you have the flu within the first three to four days.

  • All healthy adults, especially those 65 years of age and older.
  • Pregnant women.
  • Healthcare workers.
  • People with asthma, heart disease, diabetes, or weakened immune systems.
  • Caregivers of children under 5 years old.
  • Infants younger than 6 months of age.
  • Anyone with an egg allergy.
  • Anyone who has had a severe reaction to the flu vaccine in the past.
  • Anyone who currently has a moderate or severe illness or fever.

Flu Symptoms

Flu symptoms can come on rapidly and often include:

  • Fever or chills
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Fatigue
  • Cough
  • Sore throat
  • Runny or stuffed nose
  • Headache
  • Vomiting and diarrhea (typically more common in children)

In most cases, recovery takes anywhere from a few days to less than two weeks. In more severe cases, however, particularly for children, seniors, and immunocompromised adults, the flu can evolve into a more dangerous condition, such as pneumonia.

8 percent of the deaths of adults are over age 65. Fortunately, you can reduce your risk, since the best preventive measure that you can take to mitigate your risk of contracting the flu is to get a flu shot.

FAQs

Myth: If you get the flu vaccine, you will get influenza. This misperception is the reason many people cite for not protecting themselves by getting the flu vaccine each year. You may even know someone who will tell you that they had flu symptoms after getting the vaccine; however, the reason for such symptoms may include:

  • A slight reaction to the vaccine that includes temporary muscle aches and fever
  • Exposure to the flu before the vaccine can take effect—which takes two weeks
  • Experiencing symptoms of another illness, such as a cold

How Effective is the Flu Shot?

There are several influenza virus strains. Each year, doctors and scientists create the year’s vaccine based on the strain that they anticipate being most prevalent. If you obtain the flu vaccine but are exposed to an alternate strain, you may still get the flu. This challenge of protecting the population from every possible flu strain is part of the reason why some people continue to spread the misunderstanding that getting the flu vaccine will not protect you from getting sick. 

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “recent studies show that flu vaccination reduces the risk of flu illness by between 40 and 60 percent among the overall population during seasons when most circulating flu viruses are well-matched to the flu vaccine.”

Flu viruses are always changing, and different ones will be more prevalent from year to year.

Because of the likelihood of virus change – called “antigenic drift” – new vaccines are developed every year to protect against the predicted viruses that will possibly spread during the upcoming flu season.

Visit the CDC’s website to learn more about how viruses are selected for the flu vaccine.