With the colder weather along comes influenza or 'flu season'. People can avoid the flu by getting their annual immunization commonly called a flu shot.
Given in the fall, this shot is strongly recommended for individuals over the age of 65 and those with chronic diseases of the heart, lung, kidney, diabetes, immune system or anemia. Others who would benefit are health care workers, people between the ages of 50 and 65, women more than three months pregnant and people who want to protect themselves from getting the flu. In adults, Center for Disease Control studies have shown the flu vaccine to be 70-90% effective in preventing the illness. Complications of the flu, including severe pneumonia's, are greatly reduced.
People often believe the vaccine itself can cause the flu, which is simply not true because the vaccine is made from a killed virus. Some people may experience a reaction to the shot, which is usually mild soreness in the arm. If you are allergic to eggs, you should not have a flu shot.
Brought to you by Sutter Amador Hospital and Dr. Robert Hartmann, Amador County Health Officer and Internal Medicine Physician in Jackson.
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