Flu season has just begun, and the community can expect the bug to stick around until early spring. Every year, millions of individuals across the country get the traditional, miserable coughing and sneezing symptoms; others are not so lucky. Hundreds of thousands of people are hospitalized each year from the bug, and thousands more die from flu-related causes.

When it comes to protecting yourself and your family against the flu, there’s no better solution than getting an annual seasonal flu vaccine. Like most other things in life, the sooner you get one, the better off you’ll be, according to Monica Ledesma, Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) at Prowers Medical Center Clinic.

“Overall, the benefit of getting a flu shot is to keep you from getting sick from the flu, which can lead to missed days of school or work, flu-related hospitalization and even death,” she explained.

About the Annual Flu Vaccine

The flu vaccine protects more than just your loved ones and yourself — it protects the entire community.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the 2016-17 flu season, the seasonal vaccine prevented an estimated 5.3 million influenza illnesses, 2.6 million flu-related medical visits and 85,000 flu-associated hospitalizations. In the seasons where the vaccine virus matched strains that were in circulation, the flu shot reduced the risk of going to the doctor by as much as 40 to 60 percent.

“Receiving the flu vaccine is the best way to protect you and your family from the influenza virus,” Ledesma said. “Only 45 percent of all Coloradans received their flu shot last year, and we would like to see this number much higher this year.”

It’s best to receive the vaccination by the end of October, according to the CDC, but flu shots are available through the entire flu season (usually until about May) at Prowers Medical Center. Last year, the flu season peaked around the end of December and again in February.

The flu is extremely contagious and is spread when a person with influenza coughs, sneezes or speaks within 6 feet of another individual.

Children especially can benefit from getting their annual shot — the CDC reported that the risk of death for healthy children was reduced by 65 percent from the vaccine, and the risk of death for children with underlying, high-risk medical conditions was reduced by 51 percent.

As important as it is to receive a flu shot, there are a select few in the community who don’t benefit from getting one.

“Children younger than 6 months of age — they are too young,” Ledesma said. “In order to protect them, everyone around the child should be vaccinated.”

She added: “Also, anyone with a severe life-threatening allergy to the flu vaccine or the ingredients in it. You should talk to your doctor if you have had a severe allergy to eggs or any of the ingredients in the vaccine, have had Guillain-Barre Syndrome or are not feeling well before receiving your flu vaccine.”

Signs and Symptoms

At first, the flu mimics the common cold with a sore throat, runny nose and sneezing. The difference, though, is the flu comes on fast, hits hard and lasts longer — about one to two weeks — while a cold is generally slower to show and milder.

According to the Mayo Clinic, signs and symptoms of the flu include:

  • Fever over 100 degrees
  • Aching muscles, especially in lower back, arms and legs
  • Chills and sweats
  • Headaches
  • Dry cough
  • Fatigue and muscle weakness
  • Nasal congestion

For most people, the viral infection resolves on its own, but for others, it can be deadly.

Those who are at higher risk of getting flu-related health complications include children younger than 5 years old (especially those under the age of 2), adults over the age of 65, individuals with weak immune systems and chronic illnesses, pregnant women and postpartum women, and obese individuals with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher.

If you are showing any signs or symptoms of the flu, immediately visit with your Provider at Prowers Medical Center.

Preventing the Spread of the Flu

The best way you can prevent the flu from spreading is by getting your yearly flu vaccine. But there are other means of prevention in keeping your community safe, such as good hand hygiene and avoiding close contact with those who have the flu.

Remember to cover any coughing or sneezing with a tissue and to dispose of the tissue afterward. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth, as this is how germs are spread. Be sure to clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that could be contaminated with germs, such as desks, tables, doorknobs, light switches and more.

“If you are sick with flu-like symptoms and have a fever, stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone, without the use of fever reducing medications,” Ledesma said.

Flu Vaccines at Prowers Medical Center Clinic

The Prowers Medical Center Clinic offers flu shots each year to the public for patients of all ages.

“A common misconception about the flu vaccine is that it will give you the flu,” Ledesma said. “This is completely false. It is impossible to get the flu from the vaccine since it contains an inactivated virus, which means the virus is no longer infectious and is incapable of causing influenza.”

The vaccine is available all flu season, and individuals are welcome to either make an appointment or walk into the Clinic at their own convenience any time between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Check to see if your insurance plan covers getting the seasonal vaccine, as a lot are willing to cover at least some of the overall cost.

Call 719-336-6767 for more information or to schedule an appointment at Prowers Medical Center Clinic.