After Last Year’s Dangers, It’s More Important than Ever to Get Your Flu Shot this Year

Physicians are calling last year’s flu season one of the most dangerous flu seasons in history. It lasted long, was widespread, and was unusually powerful. It was responsible for around 80,000 deaths, and many of those deaths could have been prevented with the flu vaccine.

Because of this, doctors are encouraging people to get the flu vaccine in anticipation of the upcoming flu season. It is one of the best steps you can take to prevent you and your family from getting the flu.

Some people are more at risk than others for getting the flu. Often, factors such as age and health determine whether someone is at higher risk of complications from the flu. People who should be extra careful about the possibility of developing flu-related complications include:

– Children under 5 years old

– Adults over the age of 65

– Pregnant women

– People with chronic respiratory conditions like asthma

– People with diabetes

– People with compromised immune systems

There is a special high-dose flu vaccine that is recommended for those 65 and older. Doctors hope that this high-dose vaccine will help prevent deaths and hospital stays associated with the flu.

It is very difficult to predict when the flu season will begin and how long it will last, so it is important to get the flu vaccine early. Encourage your friends and family to do the same, and maybe this year’s season will be much better than last year’s.

The flu shot is specially tailored for each year’s virus. So even if you got the vaccine last year, you should get it again for this year.

The flu vaccine is recommended for anyone over the age of 6 months, and most doctors recommend getting the flu vaccine before the end of October.  However, it’s not too late to get the flu shot even after October. The flu vaccine may still prevent you from getting the flu later in the season.

The flu vaccine is widely available. Here is a list of some places that commonly offer flu shots:

– Your primary care doctor’s office

– Urgent care or after-hours centers

– Your school

– Pharmacies

– Your supermarket

It may feel too early to start thinking about flu season, but making sure you are prepared now could help ensure that you make it through flu season healthily.