St. Francis Urgent Care is here to help you learn what’s Fact, and what’s Fiction when it comes to the flu shot, because in addition to heading into fall, we’re also heading into the Flu Season. Although the fall and winter seasons have lots of wonderful things- holidays, time with families, an excuse to use your fireplaces- there is one thing that is not so great, and that is the flu. As St. Francis Urgent Care has said in the past, the best way to avoid catching it is to get the flu shot. However, you may have some concerns. There’s a lot of information out there about flu shots, so we’re here to clear up some of the things you may have questions about.
You can catch the flu from the flu shot – FICTION!
When you receive the vaccine, it’s made with either the strains of a flu virus that has already died out, or it only has a single protein from the flu virus. Although you may experience mild, flu-like symptoms, you won’t catch the actual flu. Your body will quickly make antibodies to fight off these symptoms, leaving you at less risk of catching the flu.
It’s not safe to get a flu shot if you’re pregnant – FICTION!
When your body is busy nurturing and protecting your child as it grows, it may be more susceptible to viruses such as the flu. And the symptoms could be more severe if you catch it. For this reason, getting the flu shot will protect not just you, but also your baby! That’s because the antibodies your body produces are also passed to your baby, which gives them extra protection when they’re first born and too little to get their own flu shot.
You need to get the flu shot every year – FACT!
You see, the flu isn’t just one strain of the same illness. It’s constantly evolving and generating different strains that come and go every year. So just because you got a flu shot last year doesn’t mean you’re safe this year. The annual flu vaccines are made each year for the expected strains, so what worked last year probably won’t work for this one.
If you want to protect yourself from this year’s Flu Season, come visit us at St. Francis Urgent Care. In addition to providing patients with the flu shot, we can also answer questions and help treat symptoms that you may be experiencing. You can walk in any time, or book your check-in time online on our website. We’re here to provide the highest levels of service with the highest qualities of care, so if you have questions, just contact us.