Death of Teen Athlete a Reminder That Flu Can Kill Anyone

http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/death-teen-athlete-reminder-flu-can-kill-anyone-n718381#a-9f3b0ded-d285-4843-a0b4-4caa061d4ddb

Flu usually hits the very young and the very old the hardest. Depending on the season, it kills anywhere between 4,000 and 50,000 people a year in the United States. It is still not too late to receive your flu vaccine shot. TVFM still has doses of vaccine and can help you now. Most insurance payers pick up the cost $$ for you, especially since the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends a yearly flu vaccine for everyone 6 months and older. It is not too late to get vaccinated. Flu vaccination can reduce flu illnesses and prevent flu-related hospitalizations.

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/

People with egg allergies can receive any licensed, recommended age-appropriate influenza vaccine and no longer have to be monitored for 30 minutes after receiving the vaccine.

Flu shots are approved for use in pregnant women. Flu vaccine in a pregnant woman can reduce the risk of flu illness in her baby by up to half. This protective benefit was observed for up to four months after birth.When more people get vaccinated against the flu, less flu can spread through that community.

A flu vaccine is needed every season for two reasons. First, the body’s immune response from vaccination declines over time, so an annual vaccine is needed for optimal protection. Second, because flu viruses are constantly changing, the formulation of the flu vaccine is reviewed each year and sometimes updated to keep up with changing flu viruses. For the best protection, everyone 6 months and older should get vaccinated annually.