Why should I get the flu shot this year?
Each year, flu vaccines are recommended for all patients by physicians, pharmacists, providers and nurses everywhere. While a flu vaccine does not guarantee a patient complete protection against the flu (studies have shown they are 50-60% effective among the general population), they still offer many benefits to stay healthy during flu season.
Those who still get the flu after receiving the vaccine are much less likely to become seriously ill.
According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, having a flu shot reduced the risk of children being hospitalized for flu-like symptoms by 74% and reduced the risk of adults older than 50 being hospitalized for flu-like symptoms by 57%.
The flu vaccine is an important tool for patients with chronic health conditions. Some research has shown patients with heart disease, especially those who had a cardiac event in the past year, have lower rates of cardiac events after receiving an annual flu vaccine. Additionally, a flu vaccine has been shown to reduce hospitalization for patients with diabetes and chronic lung disease.
A flu vaccine helps protect women and the developing baby during, and after, pregnancy.
Getting vaccinated not only protects you, but the people around you during flu season.
While it is recommended that every patient receives a flu vaccine each year, there are groups who are more at risk for catching the flu, and for developing serious flu-related symptoms. For this reason, it is even more important for patients from these groups to receive their annual vaccine.
Those groups include:
- Pregnant women
- Children between 6 months and 5 years of age
- Adults 18 years and older who receive aspirin therapy
- Adults older than 50
- Patients with chronic medical conditions
- Patients who live or work in a nursing home or chronic care facility
- Patients who work in a healthcare facility
- Patients who work in a position that requires regular contact with other at-risk patients.
It's time to get your flu vaccine! Ask your primary care provider for the vaccine at your next appointment. You can also schedule an appointment or simply walk-in to receive the shot at any of our 9 primary care locations.
For help scheduling an appointment or to find the location closest to you, please call (859) 258-4362 or visit LexingtonClinic.com.
John P. Ziegler, MD, is a board-certified family medicine physician at Lexington Clinic Andover Family Health Center. He provides services in general family medicine, pediatrics, geriatric medicine and preventive medicine. His professional interests include psychiatry/mood disorders.
Lexington Clinic is Central Kentucky’s largest and oldest medical group. With 350+ providers in more than 30 specialties, we have been taking care of 600,000+ visits annually in the Lexington community since 1920.