It's not too late to get a flu shot January 30, 2018 General Flu, Immunization, Influenza, Public Health, Vaccination 0 With widespread influenza activity in California, physicians are encouraged to remind patients that it’s not too late to get their flu shot. Although influenza season usually peaks between December and February, flu activity can occur as late as May. It takes about two weeks after vaccination for the body to respond fully. Vaccine effectiveness does vary for the different strains and year by year. Vaccination will still prevent infection in a large number of cases. If disease does occur after vaccination, the vaccine can reduce the severity of flu symptoms. An annual flu vaccine is the most effective way to reduce one's risk of getting sick with seasonal flu and spreading it to others. Physicians can help to protect our most vulnerable populations by encouraging all patients to get the flu shot as soon as possible. For those at high risk of serious flu complications that can lead to hospitalization and even death, getting vaccinated is especially important. It is also important for caregivers of anyone at high risk, including children younger than 6 months, who are too young to get a flu vaccine. Those at high risk for serious flu-related complications include: Pregnant women Children younger than 5, but especially children younger than 2 years old People 65 years of age and older People who have certain medical conditions, such as asthma, diabetes and heart disease The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services developed free educational materials that physicians and other health care providers can download and use to promote flu vaccinations. These materials include brochures, flyers, posters and postcards that are translated into several languages including Arabic, Armenian, Cambodian, Chinese, Farsi, Hmong, Korean, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog and Vietnamese. Additional influenza information and resources are available at www.cdc.gov/fightflu. Comments are closed.
