flu shot - Stuff Parents Need

This post is part of the blogger program by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)and The Motherhood, who compensated me for my time. Opinions shared here are my own.

Have you had your flu shot this season, friends? My entire family got vaccinated this year and we plan to continue to all get vaccinated every year, and as early in the season as possible. In 2012, when Layah was just 6 months old, she contracted the flu. So did her big sister. So did I. All at the same time, 3 out of 4 people in the house were very VERY sick. Poor Tim. Even though he was fortunate and didn’t get sick, he really had to take one for the team that year. It was a miserable experience, and it was extremely scary to have such young children sick with the flu, especially. Tim had to watch them vigilantly to make sure that their symptoms didn’t decline, because little ones are at a higher risk for requiring hospitalization.

I learned my lesson that year in a major way: do NOT skip the flu shot. I really wasn’t planning on skipping it, but I hadn’t gotten around to getting it, yet, when the flu hit our home.

Are you in that exact situation, perhaps? You keep meaning to get your flu shot but for whatever reason just haven’t? And are you starting to think that it’s too late now and the season is almost over so you can just skip it?

Well, let me be the one to very politely but firmly tell you that YOU ARE WRONG! I feel like I should apologize after yelling at you, friend, and I am sorry that it came to my using all caps to get my point across, but I want to really REALLY make sure that you understand that you still have time to get your flu shot, because you certainly still have time to catch the flu this season (a friend of mine got the flu in early May of last year, just sayin’). The peak is between December and February, which would be RIGHT NOW!

I Heard the Flu Shot Didn’t Work This Year

The flu shot typically protects against 3-4 different strains of flu, and unfortunately, this year’s vaccine was a poor match for the H3N2 virus, which is the strain that really took off this year. HOWEVER, it is NOT the only strain of flu that is afflicting people! The flu vaccination may still offer some protection, especially against other strains of the flu that will likely circulate late in the season.

Preventative Tips

The best thing you can do to protect yourself from the flu this year is the get a flu vaccination. Additionally, the CDC has 6 tips that can help you avoid exposure and help prevent others from beng exposed to the flu, as well.

Avoid close contact (with people who are sick).
Stay home when you are sick.
Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.
Clean your hands with soap and water.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
Practice other good health habits (get plenty of sleep, be physicaly active, drink plenty of fluids, etc.).

If you already consider yourself to be a healthy person with healthy habits, that is great! You still need to get a flu shot, though…

If You Get the Flu

If you happen to get the flu this season, there are some important measures you can take to minimize your pain and suffering (although it is going to suck, just gotta be honest).

The most important thing is that you really need to get yourself to a doctor as soon as you start to experience flu-like symptoms. That’s because there are prescription flu antivirals that can be prescribed to you, and they are the most effective within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms. Early treatment can have an impact on the severity of your case and the length of time you feel sick. People actually die from the flu every single year, so the fact that there are prescriptions that can help if used quickly is really important to know!

Hopefully you haven’t gotten the flu this year and you won’t, but be sure to take all necessary precautions, including getting a flu vaccine, practicing healthy habits AND getting prescription antivirals as soon as you suspect you may have the flu. Because friends, NOT getting the flu is super awesome!