5 Major Advantages of Getting a Flu Shot This Year

5 Major Advantages of Getting a Flu Shot This Year

While many people still find flu shots uncomfortable, it doesn’t need to be the case. In fact, flu shots have come a long way over the years. With some help from modern medicine and a friendly nurse, you can get a flu shot without even noticing it. Here are five major advantages of getting a flu shot this year.

1- You Avoid the Flu

When you get vaccinated with the influenza vaccine, your body responds by producing antibodies against three parts of two types of influenza viruses (two types A and one type B). These antibodies provide protection against infection with these viruses when they are found in the environment during an outbreak. This means that if you were exposed to one of these viruses while having a protective antibody level from vaccination, your body would have time to fight off the infection before symptoms appeared.

2- It Reduces the Risk of Serious Medical Complications from the Flu

Getting vaccinated also protects against serious complications from influenza, like Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). GBS is a rare disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks part of its peripheral nervous system — resulting in muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis. Most people who develop GBS recover fully; however, some people may have lasting nerve damage or even die as a result of it.

3- It’s Cheap and Convenient

The flu shot is a cheap, convenient way to help protect yourself and your family against this potentially serious infection. The vaccine is covered by Medicare and most private health insurance plans and is available at most drugstores and doctor’s offices. You can also get the flu shot at your local pharmacy or health center. If you don’t want to get the vaccine at a doctor’s office or pharmacy, you can get it at certain grocery stores or pharmacies in some states.

4- You Don’t Want to Suffer from Fatigue and Body Aches

If you catch the flu, you could end up with a fever, nausea, and vomiting. You may also have headaches, body aches, or coughs that make it hard to sleep at night. You won’t have to suffer from these symptoms if you get the flu shot. It’s true that many people get sick even after getting their flu shots. However, not everyone does! And even if you do get sick after getting vaccinated, it might not be as severe as getting sick without being immunized first.

5- You’ll Protect Those Around You

When you have the flu, you feel miserable. All you can think about is getting better so that you can feel like yourself again. Unfortunately, your body has difficulty fighting off viruses when you have the flu. That means that it could take longer for your body to recover from the illness if you get sick.

And unfortunately, when someone has the flu, they can spread it to others who haven’t been vaccinated or haven’t had their yearly dose yet. If you don’t want anyone else to suffer from the flu and its side effects (like fevers), then getting vaccinated is an important step in keeping yourself and others healthy this winter season.

Each year, when flu season hits, everyone is looking for the perfect way to avoid getting sick and missing work. While some people choose over-the-counter cold medicines to ease symptoms, these treatments may have serious side effects and may not even treat your illness. The best alternative for fighting the flu is getting a flu shot.