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Influenza is a serious virus that leads to many illnesses each year. You don’t have to be young or have a compromised immune system to get gravely ill from the infection. Healthy people can get sick from the flu and spread it to friends and family.
In some cases, the flu can even be deadly. Flu-related deaths are most common in people over age 65 but can be seen in children and young adults.
The best and most efficient way to avoid the flu and prevent spreading it is to get a vaccination. The flu vaccine is available as an injectable shot. The more people get vaccinated against the flu, the less the flu can spread. Vaccination can also help shorten the time that you are sick and can reduce the symptoms.
How does the flu shot work?
To make the vaccine, scientists select the strains of the flu virus that research suggests will be the most common in the coming flu season. Millions of vaccines with those strains are produced and distributed.
Once you receive the vaccine, your body begins producing antibodies against those strains of the virus. These antibodies provide protection against the virus. If you come into contact with the flu virus at a later point, you can avoid an infection.
You may get sick if you end up coming into contact with a different strain of the virus. But the symptoms will be less severe because you had the vaccination.
Who should get the flu shot?
Doctors recommend that everyone over the age of six months receive the flu vaccine. This is especially true for people in high-risk categories, like:
people with weakened immune systems due to chronic illness
Most doctors also recommend that everyone gets their flu vaccine by the end of October. This way your body has time to develop the right antibodies before flu season kicks into gear. It takes about two weeks for antibodies to develop against the flu after vaccination.
In some cases, the flu can even be deadly. Flu-related deaths are most common in people over age 65 but can be seen in children and young adults.
The best and most efficient way to avoid the flu and prevent spreading it is to get a vaccination. The flu vaccine is available as an injectable shot. The more people get vaccinated against the flu, the less the flu can spread. Vaccination can also help shorten the time that you are sick and can reduce the symptoms.How does the flu shot work?
To make the vaccine, scientists select the strains of the flu virus that research suggests will be the most common in the coming flu season. Millions of vaccines with those strains are produced and distributed.
Once you receive the vaccine, your body begins producing antibodies against those strains of the virus. These antibodies provide protection against the virus. If you come into contact with the flu virus at a later point, you can avoid an infection.
You may get sick if you end up coming into contact with a different strain of the virus. But the symptoms will be less severe because you had the vaccination.
Who should get the flu shot?
Doctors recommend that everyone over the age of six months receive the flu vaccine. This is especially true for people in high-risk categories, like:
- adults over age 65
- women who are pregnant
- children under age 5
people with weakened immune systems due to chronic illness
Most doctors also recommend that everyone gets their flu vaccine by the end of October. This way your body has time to develop the right antibodies before flu season kicks into gear. It takes about two weeks for antibodies to develop against the flu after vaccination.
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