Considering Louisiana being recently ranked by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as the worst in the nation for influenza activity, you may want to get your flu shot if you have not gotten one yet. The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older should get a flu vaccine every season.

Influenza is a potentially serious disease that can lead to hospitalization and sometimes even death. Every flu season is different, and influenza infection can affect people differently. An annual seasonal flu vaccine is the best way to help protect against flu. It can reduce the risk of flu illnesses, hospitalizations and the risk of flu-related death.

Anyone can get the flu, but people 65 years and older, people of any age with certain chronic medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease), pregnant women, and young children, are at risk for developing flu-related complications.

How do flu vaccines work?

It takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body and provide protection against flu. These antibodies provide protection against infection with the viruses that are used to make the vaccine. The seasonal flu vaccine protects against the influenza viruses that research indicates will be most common during the upcoming season.

Flu vaccine effectiveness does not last from year to year. The body’s ability to continue to fight off the flu after a vaccination decreases over time. Protect yourself this season and get your flu shot at Carmichael’s Pharmacy in Crowley.