As the days grow shorter and the temperatures cool, the change of seasons is a reminder that another season is right around the corner: flu season. TCHD wants to remind you to protect your family this year with your annual flu vaccine!

 

This is Public Health is brought to you in partnership with the Tuscarawas County Health Department.

 

 

 

 

The CDC provides factual and helpful information for this year’s flu vaccine. They recommend that everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine every season with rare exceptions. Vaccination is particularly important for people who are at higher risk of serious complications from influenza. These rare exceptions include children younger than 6 months, people with severe, life-threatening allergies to any ingredient in a flu vaccine (other than egg proteins), and people who have had a severe allergic reaction to a dose of influenza vaccine.

Why are Flu Vaccines Important? Flu vaccination can keep you from getting sick with flu.

The CDC advises that Influenza (flu) is a potentially serious disease that can lead to hospitalization and sometimes even death. Every flu season is different, and flu can affect people differently, but during typical flu seasons, millions of people get flu, hundreds of thousands of people are hospitalized and thousands to tens of thousands of people die from flu-related causes. Flu can mean a few days of feeling bad and missing work, school, or family events, or it can result in more serious illness.

Complications of flu can include bacterial pneumonia, ear infections, sinus infections and worsening of chronic medical conditions, such as congestive heart failure, asthma, or diabetes.

 

• Flu vaccine prevents millions of illnesses and flu-related doctor’s visits each year. For example, during 2019-2020, the last flu season prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, flu vaccination prevented an estimated 7 million influenza illnesses, 3 million influenza-associated medical visits, 100,000 influenza-associated hospitalizations, and 7,000 influenza-associated deaths in the United States.
• During seasons when flu vaccine viruses are similar to circulating flu viruses, flu vaccine has been shown to reduce the risk of having to go to the doctor with flu by 40% to 60%.

Flu Vaccine Basics from the CDC

How flu vaccines work

Flu vaccines cause antibodies to develop in the body about two weeks after vaccination. These antibodies provide protection against flu illness.

Why you need flu vaccine every year

A flu vaccine is needed every year for two reasons. First, a person’s immune protection from vaccination declines over time, so an annual flu vaccine is needed for optimal protection. Second, because influenza viruses are constantly changing, the composition of flu vaccines is reviewed annually, and vaccines are updated to protect against the viruses that research indicates will be most common during the upcoming flu season.

When people should get vaccinated

For most people who need only one dose of influenza vaccine for the season, September and October are generally good times to be vaccinated against influenza. Ideally, everyone should be vaccinated by the end of October. 

Where to get a flu vaccine

Flu vaccines are offered in many doctor’s offices and clinics. Even if you don’t have a regular doctor or nurse, you can get a flu vaccine somewhere else like a health department, pharmacy, urgent care clinic, college health center, and even in some schools and workplaces.

The Tuscarawas County Health Department (TCHD) provides flu vaccine appointments for anyone 6 months and older. Call 330-343-5555, ext. 1810 to schedule a flu vaccine appointment. TCHD is also planning their annual Flu Vaccine Drive-Thru event for anyone 3 years and older (minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian) on Tuesday, October 15th from 3 to 6 pm. No appointment is necessary to attend the event.