The Benefits of Flu Shots for All Ages

The arrival of fall ushers in cooler weather, shorter nights, back-to-school festivities, and the ever-present flu season.

While the severity of the flu season varies from season to season, there are a few ways to keep you and your family guarded against the more severe forms of the flu. The most straightforward option is to get your annual flu shot.

Keep reading to learn more about the flu shot benefits for all ages and the importance of the flu vaccine.

Flu Shot Basics

Whether you’re a regular flu shot recipient or if the current pandemic has made you consider the advantages of a flu shot, it is important to know how a flu shot works.

The flu shot is a vaccine primarily administered via a needle in the arm. Depending on your age, there is a nasal spray vaccine option as well. The vaccine works to protect against the different flu viruses that circulate during the flu season.

It does this by creating antibodies to develop within the body a couple of weeks after the initial vaccination. Antibodies are important as they serve to protect against circulating infections. Vaccines also help create a stronger immune response within the body, thus leading to a stronger defense against the flu.

Flu Shot Benefits

Getting the seasonal flu is not only an uncomfortable inconvenience, it can also bring about life-threatening complications. A lot of people who catch the flu will most likely recover in a few days or weeks, but there are some who will develop complications, some of which can be life-threatening or deadly.

Below are examples of complications from the flu:

• Pneumonia
• Inflammation of the heart, muscle, or brain
• Multi-organ failure (kidney or respiratory failure)
• Sepsis
• Can make chronic medical problems worse (i.e. heart disease, asthma)

There is a wide range of flu vaccine products recommended for use in the U.S., and they are available for anyone 6-months of age and up. So, whether you have a 6-month-old ready for immunization or you’re 65 years old, the following flu shot benefits should help answer the question: should I get a flu shot?

Life-Saving

The influenza virus can bring about serious complications. In some of the rarer cases, the flu can be life-threatening. Thousands are hospitalized each year due to the flu, with potentially life-threatening side effects such as dehydration and pneumonia.

Making sure you’re vaccinated can quite literally save your life from catching a serious case of the flu. Getting vaccinated helps by reducing the severity of your symptoms if you happen to contract it.

Mild Side Effects

Some people do experience side effects from the vaccine. However, the side effects are typically mild compared to what a full-blown case of the flu feels like. If you do experience side effects such as a stuffy nose or a headache, these things should go away within a few days.

The alternative with a case of the flu is a week or two of full-fledged symptoms. A day with a mild headache is much more bearable, thanks to the flu shot.

Immunity

When a flu virus spreads, it spreads like wildfire. It’s easy to contract and give to others. When a large section of the population is immunized against the flu, the virus has nowhere to go. This is called herd immunity.

By getting an annual flu shot, you’re not only helping you and your family stay healthy and safe but your community as well. Be sure to keep a record of your immunizations for your doctor’s reference.

Who Needs a Flu Shot?

We all have a responsibility and part to play in keeping our community safe. The flu shot benefits are many and can potentially save your life, especially during flu season.

Your Corpus Christi ER would like to remind you to get your flu shot. Feel free to give us a call to schedule your vaccination. We have a dedicated, high-quality team at our facility waiting to help!

Sources

“The Flu Season.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Immunization, and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD), https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season/flu-season.htm

“Flu Symptoms & Complications, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/flu/symptoms/symptoms.htm

“Seasonal Flu Vaccines.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Immunization, and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD), https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/flushot.htm