|
Flu shots available in Highland
MONTEREY - Highland Medical Center has several flu shot clinics scheduled from now until the end of the year. Hopefully, there will be no shortage of vaccine this year, so call to schedule your flu shot.
The influenza vaccine is a viral vaccine which needs to be redesigned every year, as new strains of the virus appear that have changed their appearance leave people without much protection against catching the flu. The vaccine is matched to three of the new strains expected to be the most infectious. Because the viruses change, it is important to receive the new vaccination each fall.
The vaccine is available in two forms: the flu shot and a nasal spray. The shot contains killed virus and the spray contains an alive but weakened virus. Neither type can normally cause the flu, but the spray has a slight chance of causing the flu in unvaccinated people with damaged immune systems such as those receiving chemotherapy. The shot is safe for anyone over six months. The nasal spray is approved for healthy children 2-4 years old without a history of frequent wheezing, and for people 5 to 49 years old who are otherwise healthy and not pregnant. Pregnant women can receive the shot.
One new recommendation this year is for children age six months to eight years to get two shots four weeks apart if they have not been previously vaccinated, of if they got their first shot last year. If they get the nasal spray, the second dose should be six weeks later.
Essentially anyone who wants to reduce their chance of getting the flu should get vaccinated. People at higher risk of complications from flu should get vaccinated. For example, all those who are older than 50 years, pregnant women (shot only), children aged six months until their fifth birthday, those who reside in nursing homes and people any age who have serious chronic medical conditions such as heart, kidney or lung disease, asthma, or anybody whose immune system may be weakened such as in AIDS or by treatment with steroids (including prednisone) or cancer drugs. Also, anyone who comes in contact with or cares for individuals with these conditions, or cares for children less than six months old, and all health care workers and emergency responders should get vaccinated.
Those who have had a severe reaction in the past to the vaccine or who are sick with a fever and illness should consult their doctor first. Children less than six months old should not be vaccinated, and people who have had a disorder called Guillain-Barre syndrome within six weeks of receiving a flu vaccine. Anyone who has a severe allergy to chicken eggs should not be vaccinated.
One misconception is that the flu vaccine can cause the flu. However, the evidence shows one cannot contract the flu from the vaccine. Many blame their flu or cold symptoms on the vaccine, but one it takes about two weeks for the vaccine to become effective. During that time one may catch the flu or a different cold-causing virus that mimics the symptoms of influenza.
Ideally between mid-October and the end of November is the best time to get vaccinated, but it can still be useful in December and January. The flu season starts in November and ends in May with the majority of cases occurring in January and February.
| 
