The flu season is upon us and with that comes a reminder from health care workers that it’s not too late to get a flu vaccination.
The Center For Disease Control recommends a yearly flu vaccine for everyone 6 months of age and older. The CDC website states it’s the most important step in protecting against the disease.
Donna Kirkland is a nurse at Logan Regional Medical Center and an Infection Preventionist. She says the flu vaccine has been shown to reduce flu illnesses and reduce the risk of hospitalization. Kirkland says it is also an important preventive tool for people with chronic health conditions and may make your illness milder if you do get sick.
“Even if people present with symptoms and they are vaccinated with the flu vaccine,” she says, “it will reduce the symptoms.”
According to the CDC, flu vaccines are among the safest medical products in use. Hundreds of millions of Americans have safely received flu vaccines over the past 50 years.
Kirkland says she received her flu vaccine earlier in October, along with all employees at the hospital.
“And we do that as a preventative measure to try and keep people healthy.” She adds, “I gave a number of my colleagues their flu shots and they were happy to report that their arm wasn’t sore or they didn’t have any untoward symptoms afterward.”
Flu vaccines are available at local pharmacies, doctors offices, hospitals and the Bear River Health Department. It takes about two weeks after vaccination for your body to develop protection against flu. This flu season protect yourself. Kirkland strongly recommends, “get vaccinated.”