Too late for flu shot?
Absolutely not! If you haven't gotten one last fall, you should get it today; flu season lasts from fall to spring but flu activity peaks in early spring.
What does flu shot have to do with mental health? Well, not a whole lot on the surface, unless you consider that it can save a headache related to expenses related to health care costs due to doctor visits and medication AND save you time lost from sick leave at work.
Here are some questions I hear often from patients:
- flu, or influenza, is a respiratory illness. Flu shot does not protect you against "stomach flu", or gastroenteritis, which is a common misconception, but rather against high fever, headaches, congestion and major fatigue that puts you to bed for several days.
- does the flu shot hurt? A little, it IS an injection, folks. You arm may be mildly sore afterwards. But it hurts a lot less than you wallet if you DO get influenza.
- is it expensive? Typically your insurance covers it, or you pay very little. You can inquire at your local pharmacy in regards to the cost and remember, the pharmacy is able to administer your shot, no need to wait at your clinic! I received my flu shot from a very nice pharmacist at Broulims and waited a whole of 10 minutes, maybe.
- why should I get it, I don't usually get sick. Oh, boy... I hear that one frequently. It does take that one time to knock you off your feet. People typically sneeze or cough into their hands (although sneezing into your elbow is a better practice), shake your hand and voila; now you're at risk. The virus can survive outside the body for 15-24 hours, depending on the surface. It's a tough little fella!
- will the vaccine make me sick? No. They're made with an inactivated virus or don't contain the virus at all. You may, however, have a reaction to the shot, including low grade fever, chills - it doesn't mean you got the flu, it means you had a mild reaction. And remember, diarrhea or vomiting are not typical adverse effects of the flu shot, if you had this reaction, you probably ate something bad and timing was nothing more than a coincidence!
There's so much information out there and i encourage you to visit reputable sources, such as the CDC website for more information!
What does flu shot have to do with mental health? Well, not a whole lot on the surface, unless you consider that it can save a headache related to expenses related to health care costs due to doctor visits and medication AND save you time lost from sick leave at work.
Here are some questions I hear often from patients:
- flu, or influenza, is a respiratory illness. Flu shot does not protect you against "stomach flu", or gastroenteritis, which is a common misconception, but rather against high fever, headaches, congestion and major fatigue that puts you to bed for several days.
- does the flu shot hurt? A little, it IS an injection, folks. You arm may be mildly sore afterwards. But it hurts a lot less than you wallet if you DO get influenza.
- is it expensive? Typically your insurance covers it, or you pay very little. You can inquire at your local pharmacy in regards to the cost and remember, the pharmacy is able to administer your shot, no need to wait at your clinic! I received my flu shot from a very nice pharmacist at Broulims and waited a whole of 10 minutes, maybe.
- why should I get it, I don't usually get sick. Oh, boy... I hear that one frequently. It does take that one time to knock you off your feet. People typically sneeze or cough into their hands (although sneezing into your elbow is a better practice), shake your hand and voila; now you're at risk. The virus can survive outside the body for 15-24 hours, depending on the surface. It's a tough little fella!
- will the vaccine make me sick? No. They're made with an inactivated virus or don't contain the virus at all. You may, however, have a reaction to the shot, including low grade fever, chills - it doesn't mean you got the flu, it means you had a mild reaction. And remember, diarrhea or vomiting are not typical adverse effects of the flu shot, if you had this reaction, you probably ate something bad and timing was nothing more than a coincidence!
There's so much information out there and i encourage you to visit reputable sources, such as the CDC website for more information!