As the fall approaches, we have to start thinking about protecting ourselves and our families against winter diseases. Mostly because the weather isn’t changing, we remember this when it’s too late. Here’s your guide to approaching the matter in an informed, organized and efficient way:
Think ahead
It takes 10 to 14 days following any vaccination before the immune response and subsequent protection kick in. That is why most countries start immunizing in the early autumn. The peak epidemic season starts before mid-November, and the season usually ends at the end of May the following year. The defense provided by the shot is projected to last for at least one flu season. As October approaches, make sure to plan your vaccinations in the early days of fall to make sure you are protected throughout the winter.
Check if you’re in the high-risk group for the flu
Getting a yearly flu shot is recommended for everyone. But specific groups of people have the potential to suffer more significantly than others when they contract influenza, and they are encouraged to get a flu shot in September or October of each year to avoid being infected, as well as avoid the risk of flu-associated hospitalization. The flu shot is especially recommended for:
- People with cystic fibrosis
- People with heart disease
- Children and teenagers on aspirin therapy
- People with asthma, or any chronic respiratory illness
- People with compromised or suppressed immune systems
- Adults with chronic diseases
- Pregnant women
- Health care workers
- People over the age of 65
- People living in nursing homes and retirement homes, or anywhere that an influenza infection would spread rapidly.
Check if you are in the risk group for pneumococcal infection
Vaccination against a pneumococcal infection is especially recommended for:
- People with compromised or suppressed immune systems
- Adults with diabetes mellitus
- Anyone with sickle cell anemia
- People over the age of 65
- People with any spleen-related illness
- People with a chronic illness of the heart, kidney, lung, or liver
Protect people around you
Getting vaccinated also protects people around you, including those who are more vulnerable to serious flu illness, like babies and young children, older people, and people with certain chronic health conditions (especially those listed above). So when you get a flu shot, you aren’t only protecting yourself. You are protecting your loved ones, too.
Get a vaccine every year
Influenza viruses constantly evolve. World Health Organization (WHO) experts meet each February/March to review the precise influenza strains to include in the upcoming season’s vaccine for the northern hemisphere. That means the shot you got last year is different than the one you are going to get this year, for maximum protection. Plus, vaccination protection wears off as the time progresses, so there is no protection left when the next flu season comes.
Make an appointment
Contact your physician or visit a Medical Center which provides immunization to make an appointment. September and October are optimal months. If you want to get your Flu Shot in Hialeah, we will be able to assess your condition (you shouldn’t get the shot when you are sick), inform you about the vaccine you will get, or answer any questions you might have.
At RiteCare Urgent Medical Center, we provide immunizations for you and your family in the comfort of our center. You may make an appointment online and we will contact you by phone to schedule an appointment or you may visit as a regular walk-in patient. Our goal at RiteCare Medical Center is to become your primary source for vaccine information, education and administration.
If you’d like to find out more or schedule a Flu Shot in Hialeah, don’t hesitate to contact us.
Source: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/index.html
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The material contained on this site is for informational purposes only and DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PROVIDING OF MEDICAL ADVICE, and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health.
