Flu Season
Flu Season in Central Texas
A new school year has started, football is back on TV, and that can only mean one thing - fall is here and winter is just around the corner. It also means that influenza (flu) season is just around the corner too. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that everyone over the age of 6 months get a flu vaccine.
What is the flu? It is a contagious illness that is caused by influenza A or B viruses, and spreads through the upper and/or lower respiratory tract causing sometimes mild, sometimes severe illness. The flu can hit you very suddenly. Some signs that you may have the flu are fever, tiredness, headache and congestion. A bad case of the flu may develop into pneumonia. Young children and older people and people with certain health problems are at higher risk for severe flu symptoms than others
Many people do not get vaccinated against flu because they believe the vaccination gives them the flu. This is not correct. The viruses in the vaccine are inactive and cannot cause infection. Some people have soreness where they got the vaccine. This is because their immune system makes antibodies to the killed viruses in the vaccine. Some people still get the flu after being vaccinated. This could be because they were around people with the flu before vaccination or it could be a different flu virus than the ones the vaccination protects against.
Vaccination is still the best way to stop the flu. According to the CDC you will only need to get ONE vaccination this year as the H1N1 (swine flu) strain is part of the vaccination.
Scott & White Health Plan (SWHP) will be offering flu vaccinations during the flu season. If you would like to be vaccinated, contact your Primary Care Physician's office and get an appointment for a vaccination. For more information please visit the flu information page and learn how to fight off the flu this year!