Fall has arrived, and with it, the start of flu season. While you can get the flu at any time, cases typically rise in October and hit their peak around the holidays (December-February).
There’s no telling how bad the 2019-2020 season will be, but the high infection rate last year – and the virus’ life-threatening potential – are ample reasons to take this threat seriously and do what you can to protect your family. That means getting a flu shot.
Everyone over six months of age should receive a flu shot annually, ideally in the fall. This is the most important thing you can do to safeguard yourself and your children against an illness that causes serious discomfort and can be deadly.
Yes, you can still get the flu if you’ve been vaccinated. This is because the chosen vaccine strains for a given year may not perfectly match up with incoming flu strains. Flu vaccines, which change each year to cover the main circulating strains, are generally about 50-60% effective. To some people, this may sound like a coin toss, but in reality, that is a very effective vaccine. If you get vaccinated, you’re far less likely to become ill, and if you do, your symptoms should be less severe.
New This Year
One new development in 2019 is that the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is recommending families have their children vaccinated via the flu shot or the nasal spray vaccine for the best protection. The AAP did not previously recommend the nasal spray because it wasn’t considered as effective against certain virus strains. But this year, whatever form of vaccine your doctor recommends is fine.
Think of it this way: getting a flu shot is like wearing a seatbelt. It won’t prevent all episodes of influenza, but it will reduce the severity and the chance of complications. In some situations, flu can worsen into pneumonia and, though it is unusual, lead to death. That may sound extreme, but an estimated 20,000 to 40,000 people die nationwide as a result of the flu each year. Even healthy people can become very sick from the flu and can transmit it to those for whom the virus is potentially lethal, like babies and anyone with a compromised immune system. But take comfort: The flu vaccine drastically lowers your likelihood of catching the flu and makes it much easier to endure if you do happen to catch it. So, do your part to protect others and yourself and get vaccinated this season!
Hyrum Brodniak, DO, is a family medicine physician with AdventHealth Medical Group in Lake Nona. He has extensive experience in preventive medicine and education and treatment of chronic conditions. Dr. Brodniak has specialized training in osteopathic manipulation, which is used to treat a wide variety of illnesses, including joint and muscular disorders, asthma, and headache disorders.
To learn more, visit YourCentralFloridaDoctor.com/FamilyMedicine or call 407-930-7801.
