Don’t Let the Flu Come for You

Doris Dimmitt, Carson Tahoe Health, Hospital Epidemiologist

Wow, it’s mid October already?!  Where did the year go?! It seems like we just finished talking about flu season and now it’s time to start again.

So…if you haven’t heard, flu shots are now available to the public, and the vaccine is different this year in a couple of ways:

1. The seasonal vaccine covers 4 strains of influenza this year, two strains of A and two strains of B.  The benefits of this are simple – more strains, better coverage. Research indicates in the near future, influenza vaccines will cover most strains of seasonal influenza so we won’t have to worry about a rogue seasonal virus coming out of the dark and surprising us. How great will THAT be?

2. There is a vaccine available for people with egg allergies. This vaccine is not made in eggs so the worry of egg proteins contaminating the vaccine and causing allergic reactions is gone.

Influenza is a serious infection killing an estimated 36,000 people each season. The vaccine protects you from getting the flu, AND protects your co-workers, family, friends, and other people you encounter from getting the flu from you. Do yourself and your loved ones a favor and get your flu shot this year – it’s the right thing to do.

For more information, call (775) 445-8317.