Everyone needs a flu vaccine every flu season. With the constantly changing strains of flu viruses, there are different viruses circulating and causing illness every year. This is why everyone needs a flu vaccine annually. It is important for those who are 6 months and older to get a flu vaccine every season although the flu vaccine works can vary. Regardless of the energy and even the money spent on getting a flu shot, it has countless benefits.
- Flu shots are the best option from getting sick. The vaccination keeps you from getting sick, as well as the people around you from a serious flu illness. You will not miss a day’s work for reasons of flu.
- It helps those who are at the greater risk of getting seriously ill from flu, as the seniors, the young (especially those under 6 months) and people suffering from chronic health conditions.
- Flu vaccination minimizes your illness in case you get sick.
- It reduces the impact of more serious flu outcomes that leads to hospitalization or even death.
- Flu shots serve as a preventive tool for people suffering from chronic health conditions. It is associated in alleviating cardiac events among people with heart ailment, especially those who suffered from cardiac failure in the past year.
- It is the reason why the number of diabetic people hospitalized is reduced to about 79% and around 52% for those with chronic lung disorders.
- Flu shots protect pregnant women as well as their babies up to 6 months after delivery.
Studies made on the benefits of flu vaccines reported the following:
- Giving flu vaccine to pregnant women was 92% effective in avoiding infant’s hospitalization due to flu.
- Flu vaccine given to children (6 months and above) reduced the risk of the child’s admission to flu-related pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) by about 74% during the flu seasons from 2010-2012.
- Flu vaccination resulted to 71% reduction in flu-related hospitalizations among adults of all ages and more than 77% reduction among adults 50 years of age and older during the 2011-2012 flu season.
- Flu shots lowers the risk of flu-related hospitalizations in older adults and records showed that it reduced the possibility of those who are 50 years old and older from being hospitalized by 61%.
Economic benefits of Flu vaccines
According to health officials, flu shots not only protect lives but also generate significant economic benefits. It saved the U.S. federal government billions of dollars in medical costs. By raising the vaccination rate among children and adults who have high risks, the government’s spending on costly yet entirely preventable diseases are reduced by more 50% per year that goes a long way in helping the country’s economic recovery.
Epidemiologist and senior research scientist for the CDC Maleeka Glover said that Americans should realize that the government is doing its best to help curb the flu virus from spreading and not to harm people. She added that if the majority of people gets vaccinated they will be helping themselves, the families, the communities, and the government for the benefits are directly going back to them and the society.
Flu season is usually at its peak in January or February, but it can continue as late as May. Get an early immunization for it is most effective but it is not too late to get the vaccine in December, January, or beyond. To find the Vaccine, use the Health Map Vaccine Finder. But there are flu shot programs available in your vicinity.
Wal-Mart Pharmacy or Target Pharmacy offers a range of CDC recommended immunizations for seniors and adults. Wal-Mart certified pharmacists have completed an immunization training program endorsed by the CDC or the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.
