Time for flu shots

The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness and can lead to death.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the best way to prevent the flu is by getting a flu vaccination each year.

The CDC says that every year in the United States, on average:

• 5% to 20% of the population gets the flu
• More than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu-related complications
• About 36,000 people die from flu-related causes

Getting a flu shot can prevent hospitalization and even save your life.  The New England Journal of Medicine reports on the effectiveness of flu shots in older adults.  Getting a flu shot resulted in:

• 27% drop in the risk of hospitalization for pneumonia or the flu
• 48% drop in the risk of death

Flu vaccinations are safe, and they work.  Many people mistakenly believe that getting a flu shot can give them the flu.  Not true!  The vaccine is made from a killed virus.  Getting a flu shot allows your body’s immune system to practice fighting a real flu intruder by beating up on a weaker version (killed virus).  If the real virus invades your body, your system is ready to attack the virus before it can do much damage. This does not apply to FluMist (Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine or LAIV), a weakened live virus that is inhaled through the nose.  FluMist is NOT recommended for people over age 65. 

If you are allergic to eggs, you should not get a flu shot.

The flu shot is free to you as a Preferred Gold HMO or GoldAnywhere PPO member.  If you get the shot during an office visit, you will pay a copay for the office visit.  

Consider getting a shot for pneumonia, too

Pneumococcal disease is a serious infection of the lungs, blood or outer lining of the brain, most often taking the form of pneumonia in adults. The vaccine is recommended for everyone age 65 and older.  A pneumococcal shot also is free to you as a Preferred Gold HMO or GoldAnywhere PPO member (if you get the shot during an office visit, you will pay a copay for the office visit).

Don’t be left out!

The CDC reports that people of African American race and people of Latino/Hispanic background have lower immunization rates than the rest of the population.  MVP Health Care and the Department of Health and Human Services want to eliminate racial and ethnic gaps in flu and pneumococcal vaccination coverage for older adults and for people at highest risk for flu-related illness and pneumonia.