Feature: Flushing the Flu

Getting A Head Start On Flu Season

by Lisa Eastman

It’s that time of year again. It’s time for shopping, cooking and planning holiday get-togethers. It’s also flu season and you still have time to prevent this unwelcome visitor from putting a damper on your holiday activities.

Shelley, a pharmacist at Auburn Pharmacy, shows the two versions of this year's flu vaccine that are available. One is the standard injection and the other is the intra-nasal vaccine. - photo by Lisa Eastman

Influenza is the official name of what we commonly refer to as the flu. Symptoms include fever, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue, sore throat and coughing. Some kids can also experience nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Although many flu symptoms are similar to that of the common cold, the flu is generally more severe.

The CDC recommends that everyone over the age of 6 months get the flu vaccine. Babies under 6 months are too young to be vaccinated so it is important for caregivers to be immunized to help protect them. Certain people are at a higher risk of complications from a flu infection. This includes newborns through age 2, all kids up to age 5 and anyone over the age of 65. Pregnant women and those with chronic diseases such as asthma or heart conditions are also in the high risk population.

Some people are fearful of coming down with the flu from the vaccine. This is not possible. Shelley, at Auburn Pharmacy explains, “They don’t use the full live flu virus to make the shot form. If you get sick directly after the vaccination it’s coincidental and you would have been exposed before the shot. There’s always the potential for getting the flu from a strain that’s not covered by the vaccination.”

In addition to the flu vaccine, the CDC also suggests a commonsense approach to avoiding exposure. Try to stay away from people that are sick, use frequent hand washing and if you do become ill, wait 24 hours after the fever has gone before leaving your home.

If you do have the misfortune of catching the flu, there are antiviral drugs that your doctor can prescribe. There are also secondary bacterial infections that can result from the flu virus, such as pneumonia. See your doctor for any flu-related concerns.

There are several places in Abilene that make it quick and easy for you to protect yourself and your family with a flu vaccination. Patterson Pharmacy and Auburn Pharmacy (both Buckeye and Broadway stores) all offer the vaccine. It’s also available through the Dickinson County Health Department.

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