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Preventing the Flu, One Shot at a Time

The season of autumn is known for its burst of reds, oranges and yellows, caramel apples, pumpkin patches, and spooky corn mazes. However, the autumnal temperatures tend to bring in something more daunting than a haunted house. The flu. That’s right, the flu brings in runny noses, sore throats, and aches.

Sallie Hamrick RN and Nurse Manager of Belington Medical Clinic.

Since the flu season is just right around the corner, Sallie Hamrick, nurse manager at the Belington Medical Clinic, provided some information on how and why it’s important to get vaccinated.

First, Hamrick describes a vaccine as material given to a person to protect them from the disease.

“Vaccines prevent both viral and bacterial infections that used to cause really serious complications and disease,” she said. “They can protect over 26 life-threatening diseases. In fact, vaccinations have saved 42,000 lives each year.”

Each year, the pesky flu makes its way into schools, workplaces, and communities causing the bug to be passed from one person to the next. Influenza is described by the Center for Disease Control as a potentially serious disease that can lead to hospitalization and sometimes even death. Every flu season is different, and influenza infection can affect people differently, but millions of people get the flu every year, hundreds of thousands of people are hospitalized and thousands or tens of thousands of people die from flu-related causes every year.

Because of the impact of the flu, the CDC recommends everyone 6 months of age and older should get a flu vaccine every season with rare exceptions. Once someone has been injected with the flu vaccine, the vaccine causes antibodies to develop in the body about two weeks after vaccination. These antibodies provide protection against infection with the viruses that are in the vaccine.

Hamrick suggests that patients check with their providers for more information on the recommended scheduled vaccinations.

To prevent the spreading of the flu, wash your hands often and cover your nose and mouth when sneezing and/or coughing. Contact Barbour Community Health Association today to talk to your provider about getting your flu shot.