As summer break winds down and the back-to-school season approaches, the excitement of kids reuniting with friends and diving into new academic challenges is upon us. However, the return to classrooms also coincides with the onset of another season — influenza season. With the potential for flu outbreaks coinciding with the school year, it's crucial to understand how to protect yourself, your family, and the community.
Here are few ways to protect yourself from the flu:
The Flu Fight: Know Your Facts
Flu – short for influenza – is the bug that makes the rounds every year. This bug usually brings along a fever, chills, muscle aches, and more. Yikes! But guess what – we've got the upper hand, and the influenza vaccine is the secret weapon to stop the spread of flu.
Flu's Defining Symptoms
The flu can bring many symptoms, including fever, chills, sore throat, muscle aches, a cough, and sniffles. Some unlucky people might suffer even worse symptoms, including vomiting and diarrhea, especially common in younger children.
Who's in the Danger Zone?
While flu can target anyone, this illness tends to cause the most trouble within certain groups. We're talking about our little ones, seasoned folks age 65 and above, moms-to-be, and those with health conditions or compromised immune systems. For these groups in particular, the flu can lead to unwanted complications.
Flu's Sneaky Complications
The scary part is that the flu isn't just about the mild symptoms you may associate with it. It's the variety of complications that potentially come with it, such as pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus infections, and even ear infections. And if you have other health complications like heart disease or diabetes, the flu can be very serious.
The Vaccine: Our Defense Against The Flu
Here's where the influenza vaccine – the much-touted “flu shot” – comes into play. This shot isn't just about saving you from a week of tissues and chicken soup, it's about preventing the flu from taking over your body. And it's not just about you: Getting vaccinated against the flu is also about stopping the spread and saving your friends, family, and everyone around you from catching the illness and its unwanted symptoms.
Let's face it. Nobody wants to be bedridden and miss out due to the flu. So why not arm yourself with the flu vaccine? You’ll carry a shield that prevents the flu from making its way into your body. Each person who receives the vaccine is another step toward millions of illnesses dodged and doctor visits skipped.
During this school year, let's unite as flu fighters and get our shot of protection. Luckily, you can easily schedule your flu shot by calling your primary care physician. Let’s all stay healthy and kick the flu out of the picture.
Sourced By: Healthwise
Reviewed By: Capital Health Plan Physicians Group
Posted: September 7, 2023