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‘Tis the season for flu shots

CONTRIBUTED IMAGE While it’s recommended to receive your yearly flu shot by October, it is not too late to get it, as peak flu season spans December into March. It takes about two weeks for a shot to fully protect an individual.

It’s not too late to safeguard against getting the flu this season. While the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends getting your yearly flu shot as early as October, peak flu season spans December through March.

Marshall County Public Nurse Pat Thompson said that while we tend to hear messages about the importance of getting the flu shot during the winter months, the flu circulates year-round.

“Right now, the flu is considered sporadic. It peaks in January and February, but it’s out there all the time looking for the right person at the right time … right now, people are complaining about the ‘common cold,’ which is caused by the rhinovirus.”

People ages six months and older are eligible to receive the flu shot. Young children, pregnant women, the elderly and those with low immune systems are at greater risk of complications from the flu. When a pregnant woman receives the flu shot, she is also protecting her unborn child in utero, which is encouraged.

There are new considerations to be made when getting the shot for the 2016-17 season, according to the CDC. Only injectable shots are recommended this season, with the Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine (LAIV), a nasal spray vaccine, not recommended this season due to concerns about effectiveness.

In addition, there are new guidelines for those who suffer from egg allergies, who previously had to wait around 30 minutes after getting the shot. People who experience hives after encountering eggs can still get the flu shot from any licensed professional. Those whose egg allergy symptoms manifest in angioedema, respiratory distress, lightheadedness, recurrent emesis or who have required epinephrine or other emergency treatments can also get the flu shot from any licensed professional — administered in a medical setting and supervised by a health care provider.

Because there are numerous strains of the flu, each season’s installment of the flu shot gets modified for maximum protection. According to the CDC, “There are many flu viruses and they are constantly changing. The composition of U.S. flu vaccines is reviewed annually and updated to match circulating flu viruses. Flu vaccines protect against the three or four viruses that research suggests will be most common. For 2016-2017, three-component vaccines are recommended to contain: A/California/7/2009 (H1N1) pdm09-like virus, A/Hong Kong/4801/2014 (H3N2)-like virus and a B/Brisbane/60/2008-like virus (B/Victoria lineage).”

Thompson said she still encounters people who are hesitant about receiving the flu shot, believing it can actually cause the flu. She said that belief is not based in fact.

“It takes about two weeks for the shot to reach its full protection, so sometimes a person will get the flu soon after receiving the flu shot, but that’s because they were already exposed to it,” Thompson said. “Really, the best way to protect yourself other than getting the flu shot is to wash hands, cover coughs and stay home.”

Flu vaccines are readily available at doctor’s offices, pharmacies and other health centers, covered by many insurance plans as it is “preventative care.” To find the nearest location in which to receive a flu shot, visit: vaccinefinder.org

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