It’s Time to Get Your Flu Shot

No excuses - you cannot get the flu from a flu shot

SPRINGFIELD – Influenza vaccine is starting to arrive
at local health departments, pharmacies and health
care clinics around the state.  The Illinois
Department of Public Health, along with the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is
recommending everyone 6 months and older get a flu
shot as soon as it is available.

“It’s important to get a seasonal flu shot every year
as the flu strains often change year to year and the
vaccine effectiveness declines,” said Illinois
Department of Public Health Director Dr. LaMar
Hasbrouck.  “One of the biggest myths and most common
reasons people don’t get a flu shot is because they
think they get the flu from a flu shot.  The viruses
in the flu vaccine are either killed or weakened, so
you cannot get the flu from the flu vaccine.”

Every flu season is different and influenza infection
can affect people differently.  Even healthy people
can get very sick from the flu and spread it to
others.  Flu deaths in the United States range from a
low of about 3,000 to a high of about 49,000 people
each year.  During a regular flu season, about 90
percent of deaths occur in people 65 years and older.

There are three different flu shots available, as
well as a nasal spray.
• Regular flu shot approved for people ages 6 months
and older
• High-dose flu shot approved for people 65 and older
• Intradermal flu shot (smaller needle) approved for
people 18 to 64 years of age
The nasal-spray flu vaccine is approved for healthy
people 2 to 49 years of age who are not pregnant.

Some minor side effects that could occur include a
low-grade fever, body aches or soreness, redness or
swelling where the shot was given.  If these problems
occur, they begin soon after the shot and usually
last a day or two.  Most people who receive influenza
vaccine have no serious problems from it.

To be protected, children ages 6 months through 8
years need two doses of influenza vaccine (at least
four weeks apart) during their first flu season.

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There are some people who cannot be vaccinated, such
as babies younger than six months and those who are
allergic to the vaccine.  It is important for people
who can be vaccinated, to do so, to protect
vulnerable populations who could become seriously
ill.  People who are at high risk of developing
serious complications if they get the flu include
people 65 years and older, pregnant women and those
with certain medical conditions such as asthma,
diabetes and chronic lung disease.

This year’s flu vaccine is made in the same way as
past flu vaccines and has been approved by the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  According to the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, an
average of 100 million doses of influenza vaccine has
been used in the United States each year and the
vaccine has an excellent safety record.

It is not too early to get your flu shot.  You can be
vaccinated in September and be protected throughout
the entire flu season.  The season typically runs
from October through May with the peak in January.
It takes about two weeks after receiving the vaccine
for antibodies to build up in the body, so it is
important to get the vaccine before you start seeing
flu activity.

To reduce the spread of influenza and other
contagious diseases, it is always important to
practice the 3 C’s –
• Clean – properly wash your hands frequently
• Cover – cover your cough and sneeze
• Contain – contain your germs by staying home if you
are sick

For more information, log onto
http://www.idph.state.il.us/flu/index.htm.  To find
out where you can get a flu shot, go to
http://flushot.healthmap.org/.