The flu makes many people sick every year. It can make you feel very bad with fever, cough, and body aches. But there’s good news! A simple flu shot can help keep you from getting sick. Let’s learn why getting a flu shot is so important for you and your family.

What Is The Flu?

The flu (also called influenza) is a sickness that spreads easily from person to person. It happens most often in fall and winter months. When you get the flu, you might feel:

• Fever or chills
• Cough and sore throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Body and muscle aches
• Very tired
• Headaches

For most people, the flu makes them feel bad for a few days. But for some people—like older adults, very young children, pregnant women, and people with health problems—the flu can be very serious and even lead to hospital stays.

How The Flu Shot Works

The flu shot is a type of medicine called a vaccine. It helps your body fight off the flu virus if you come in contact with it.

Your Body’s Shield

When you get a flu shot, it teaches your body how to spot and fight the flu virus. This is how it works:

1. The shot has tiny, harmless pieces of flu virus
2. Your body sees these pieces and makes “fighters” called antibodies
3. These antibodies remember what the flu looks like
4. If the real flu virus enters your body later, your antibodies attack it before you get sick

It takes about two weeks after getting the shot for your body to build up this protection. That’s why doctors say to get your flu shot before flu season starts.

Top Benefits Of Getting A Flu Shot

Keeps You From Getting Sick

The biggest reason to get a flu shot is to avoid getting sick with the flu. Studies show the flu shot can lower your chance of getting the flu by 40-60% when the vaccine matches the viruses going around.

During the 2019-2020 flu season, flu shots prevented about:

• 7 million flu illnesses
• 3 million doctor visits
• 100,000 hospitalizations
• 7,000 deaths

That’s a lot of people who stayed healthy because of a simple shot!

Makes The Flu Less Bad If You Do Get Sick

Even if you still get the flu after having your shot, it will likely be much milder. Research shows:

• Vaccinated adults who got the flu had 26% lower risk of needing intensive care
• They also had 31% less risk of dying from flu
• Vaccinated people spent about 4 fewer days in the hospital
• Children who got flu shots had 75% less risk of life-threatening flu

Protects People With Health Problems

The flu shot is extra important for people with ongoing health issues like:

• Heart disease (can lower risk of heart problems)
• Asthma and COPD (helps prevent flare-ups)
• Diabetes (fewer hospital stays from complications)

For these people, the flu shot doesn’t just prevent the flu—it helps keep their other health problems from getting worse.

Keeps Pregnant Women And Babies Safe

When a pregnant woman gets a flu shot, it protects both her and her baby:

• Cuts the mother’s risk of flu-related breathing problems in half
• Lowers her chance of being hospitalized with flu by 40%
• Protects the baby for several months after birth, when they’re too young for their own flu shot
• Reduces babies’ risk of flu by one-third in their first 6 months
• Cuts babies’ risk of flu-related hospital visits by half

Helps Stop The Flu From Spreading

When you get a flu shot, you protect more than just yourself. You also help keep the flu from spreading to others, including:

• Family members
• Friends
• Coworkers
• People who can’t get the flu shot for medical reasons
• People who might get very sick from the flu, like babies and older adults

This is called “community protection” and it’s one of the most important benefits of getting your flu shot.

Who Should Get A Flu Shot?

Almost everyone 6 months and older should get a flu shot each year. It’s extra important for:

High-Risk Groups

• Adults over 65 years old
• Children under 5 years old, especially those under 2
• Pregnant women
• People in nursing homes
• People with health conditions like asthma, heart disease, diabetes, or weak immune systems
• Healthcare workers
• Caregivers of high-risk people

Children’s Flu Shots

Young children may need two flu shots their first time getting vaccinated. This helps their bodies build strong protection. Check with your doctor about what’s right for your child.

When To Get Your Flu Shot

The best time to get your flu shot is before flu season starts. In the United States, flu season usually runs from October to May, with most cases happening between December and February.

Try to get your shot by the end of October. But even if you miss this time, it’s still helpful to get it later. Any protection is better than none!

Common Questions About Flu Shots

“Can the flu shot give me the flu?”

No, the flu shot cannot give you the flu. The shot does not contain live virus that can make you sick. Some people may have mild side effects like soreness where they got the shot or slight fever that lasts a day or two. These are signs your body is building protection, not that you have the flu.

“Why do I need a new flu shot every year?”

You need a new flu shot each year for two big reasons:

1. Flu viruses change quickly, and each year’s shot is updated to protect against the most common types expected that season
2. Your protection from the vaccine gets weaker over time

Getting a yearly shot gives you the best protection against current flu viruses.

“I’m healthy, so do I really need a flu shot?”

Yes! Even healthy people can get very sick from the flu. Also, getting vaccinated helps protect others who might get seriously ill if they catch the flu from you.

“Does the flu shot work right away?”

No, it takes about two weeks after getting the shot for your body to build up protection against the flu. That’s why it’s best to get vaccinated before flu season starts.

Other Ways To Stay Healthy During Flu Season

The flu shot is your best protection, but these habits also help keep you healthy:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds
• Try not to touch your eyes, nose, and mouth
• Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your elbow
• Clean things you touch a lot, like doorknobs and phones
• Stay away from sick people when possible
• Stay home when you’re sick

Where To Get Your Flu Shot

Getting a flu shot is easy! You can get one at:

• Your doctor’s office
• Local pharmacies
• Health clinics
• Many workplaces
• Some schools

At Yorktown Health Vernon Hills, we make getting your flu shot simple and quick. Our caring doctors and nurses are ready to help protect you and your family from the flu.

Final Thoughts

The flu shot is a safe, easy way to protect yourself and others from the flu. It helps keep you from getting sick, makes the flu less severe if you do catch it, and protects people around you who might get very sick from the flu.

Remember, flu viruses change every year, so last year’s shot won’t protect you this year. Make the flu shot part of your yearly health routine, just like regular check-ups and dental visits.

Don’t wait until people around you are getting sick! Call Yorktown Health Vernon Hills today to schedule flu shots for your whole family and stay healthy this flu season.