Our team at Integrity Urgent Care always stresses the importance of getting a flu shot. This year, getting your flu shot will be exceedingly important as it will help as we watch the changes in illnesses and their spread. This goes for COVID and other illnesses that emerge at this time of year. Understanding the importance of the community protecting themselves with a vaccine can be a step in the right direction.
Who should get a flu shot?
We recommend everyone get a flu shot, even children, the elderly, pregnant women, and those with chronic health conditions. Those in specific industries with a lot of contact with others will be even better served by having a flu shot, like teachers, customer service facing, and those in healthcare.
There is a small number of people in the population who should not receive a flu shot, like those with certain allergies or with a history of a reaction to a vaccination, also those with asthma or weakened immune systems may have trouble. These individuals should call our offices or speak with their primary care physician to discuss their concerns.
Why is getting a flu shot even more crucial this year?
There are a number of reasons why the flu shot will be even more important for our population. First, with more people staying at home, the spread of COVID has diminished, but so has people’s willingness to see doctors for preventative medicine. We need to catch up on vaccinations in this case.
Second, by getting vaccinated, less people will get sick with the flu leading to less hospitalizations and less individuals with compromised lung and breathing issues. Patients with these issues have already faced a higher risk associated with COVID and avoiding the flu will help keep you healthier in the event you are exposed to both.