Flu Shot Specialist

Who should get a flu shot?

It is recommended that anyone over the age of six months should consider receiving a flu shot. While most people are recommended to have an annual flu shot, some groups are at higher risk of contracting the flu and should have the vaccination annually. These groups include:

• Children, particularly those 6 months old to age 5
• Elderly people
• People with preexisting health problems
• Travelers and those living abroad
• Pregnant women

Do I have to have a shot?

No, the flu vaccine is also available in a nasal spray vaccine. It is dispensed to patients who are over the age of two and under the age of 50. The nasal vaccine has the same components as the flu shot, so if you are one of the few people who react badly to vaccines than the nasal spray is not for you.

Should I get the flu shot every year?

The short answer to that question is that yes, you do need a flu shot every year. The reason why is that each year the expected cases of flu types change. There are around 50 different types of flu virus and each causes different types of flu. The flu shot you received last year was for the types of flu that health experts expected to reach epidemic levels that year. So the flu shot that is available this year is for a different set of flu viruses.

Do I need the flu shot this year if I received one last year?

Each year the flu shot changes, so you will have to get a new vaccine each year. It changed to target the expected types of flu for the coming year. The flu shot only protects against specific types of "expected" flu virus, not all of them. For that reason, people need to have a flu shot each year. The best ways to help reduce the odds of catching the flu is by getting a flu shot. For more information, contact the office to schedule a consultation with Dr. Hago.