Winter flu, also called influenza, is a respiratory illness that tends to rear its ugly head in October each year and it will continue into late May.
How should I prepare for the remainder of the winter flu season?
The Centers for Disease Control and Protection recommend the administration of a yearly flu vaccine to everyone who is at least six months of age and older as the first, and most important, step in protecting your family against this serious illness. While there are a variety of influenza viruses, the flu vaccine is designed to always offer some protection against the three main flu strains that are expected to cause the most illness during a given flu season. Scheduling an appointment for a vaccination is always a good idea as soon as the vaccine becomes available each year, and the protection it grants you will last throughout the duration of the winter flu season. In addition to the vaccination, you can take several everyday steps to prevent coming down with the flu. Common practices include staying away from those who are known to be ill with the flu, staying home from work or school if you are known to have the flu and washing your hands frequently.
Flu vaccines are offered in doctor’s offices, clinics, health departments, local pharmacies, college health centers, some employers and even in local schools. If you do not have a regular doctor or nurse, it is suggested that you seek a vaccination at any of the less typical options, like a local pharmacy.
Winter flu season is in full-swing, should I still get vaccinated?
The Centers for Disease Control recommend that people still get vaccinated against the various influenza strains as long as flu viruses are circulating. Influenza has no set calendar, meaning substantial activity can be expected from October into late May in certain areas.
Keep in mind that it will take the body about two weeks to develop antibodies after a flu vaccination, and it is the antibodies that protect you against the flu.
Is vaccination against the flu a good idea if I have already had the flu?
Yes.
It is possible that your symptoms were not caused by a strain of influenza. There are other respiratory viruses circulating that cause symptoms which mirror the flu and winter flu symptoms. In addition, even if you were sick with one strain of influenza, the seasonal flu vaccine protects against two other strains that researchers believe will be the most common. This means the vaccine will be able to offer protection against other influenza strains you have not yet been exposed to.
The blogging team from http://www.drsmartphonemd.com is unable to make direct recommendations regarding flu vaccinations or proper techniques for treating winter flu symptoms. Our belief is that readers need to use our articles as the starting point in developing their own plan of action, moving forward to review information on the appropriate medical websites. If a reader has a specific question or concern, we do recommend reaching out to a medical professional as soon as possible.
