Get that flu shot

VFW Magazine, Nov, 2002 by Tim Dyhouse

Adults 50 and over should be vaccinated against influenza unless they have experienced certain conditions, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends. Since strains of virus vary annually, a specific vaccine is developed for each upcoming season.

Flu is a serious threat, with 20,000 Americans--mostly over 65--dying every year from the disease. Patients with diabetes mellitus, kidney failure, heart disease and strokes, for instance, especially should be immunized.

Flu outbreaks start early in December in the continental U.S., peaking late in the month and continuing into the spring. Therefore the best time to be vaccinated is October and November.

Side effects from flu shots can include muscle soreness, mild fever and tiredness. Such symptoms can start anywhere from six to 12 hours after the immunization. But they may last as long as two days.

People with severe allergies to hens' eggs, those who previously experienced severe reactions to shots or previously developed Guillain-Barre syndrome should not get a flu shot. At any rate, always check with your doctor for advice.

Also, if you are 65 or older, or among high-risk individuals getting a flu shot this season, remind your doctor to give you the pneumonia vaccine if you have not received it within the last five years. Keep in mind this shot provides protection only for pneumococcal pneumonia, which comprises 20% to 50% of all community-acquired pneumonias.

(Information provided courtesy of VFW Surgeon General Dr. Cornelio Hong.)