Why should you get a flu shot each year?

• According to the CDC, an average of 52,000 deaths per year from influenza have been recorded in the United States in the past decade.
• In the last year, more than 90 million flu shots have been administered.
• Discover why you should get your flu shot every year.

According to The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the United States there have been an average of between 12,000 and 52,000 annual deaths due to some type of influenza. This disease can be combated with an annual vaccine whose cost is covered by most health insurance.

The flu shot has many benefits and that is why health professionals recommend getting this vaccine, which is not always given as an injection, each fall. Find out why you should get your flu shot every year!

4. It can make the flu milder

According to estimates by health professionals in the United States, each year there are more than 200,000 hospitalizations due to complications from the flu. Between 2017 and 2018, about 80,000 deaths from this disease were recorded.

Getting a flu shot is a good idea because it could help reduce the different complications that arise from this condition, such as sinusitis, otitis, and pneumonia. In addition to reducing the risk of hospitalization, it could also prevent you from feeling severe discomfort at home or missing days of work.

3. The flu vaccine helps with herd immunity

The more people are vaccinated against influenza, the lower the risk of increased infections. Experts believe that achieving herd immunity is a community effort with great benefits, among which the reduction in hospitalizations stands out.

The influenza virus is usually spread very easily when an infected person coughs, talks or sneezes, but also when a healthy person touches surfaces that have been in contact with the virus. In addition to the vaccine, maintaining proper hygiene will reduce the risk of contagion.

2. The flu vaccine is updated each year to combat the prevalent strain

Flu season lasts from October to May. That is another reason to schedule your flu shot soon. That way you can prepare your  immune system to defend itself when the disease spreads the most.

One reason you need an annual flu vaccine is because the CDC determines which strains are likely to cause the most infections and tailor the annual vaccine specifically to them.

1. Some people can opt for a nasal vaccine

For many people, a factor that prevents them from getting the flu vaccine is a severe fear of needles. The good news is that there are some options (for both adults and children) that do not require an injection.

The nasal spray vaccine is recommended for people between the ages of 2 and 49, as long as they are in optimal health, do not have asthma or are not pregnant. There are also other smaller needles that are virtually unnoticeable for patients who are nervous about injections.