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It’s Prime Time for Flu Shots

Those who have had the real, honest-to-goodness, confirmed case of the flu tend to remember it in detail.

Did you miss more than a week of work and could barely get out of bed? Did you have trouble keeping anything down and ache all over?

Those who’ve had it, whether last year or any other year, know that influenza is not synonymous with a bad cold. It hits much harder and can linger for up to two weeks, causing fever, cough, body aches, severe headache and extreme fatigue. Possible complications include pneumonia, ear infections, sinus infections, dehydration or the worsening of chronic diseases like asthma or heart failure.

The best medicine for flu? Get a flu shot. And soon.

Statistics and every medical guide tells us that getting vaccinated for flu every year is the single best way to keep the virus away. And taking the shot as soon as it’s available is also recommended because it gives your body time to develop virus-fighting antibodies well before flu season is in full swing.

Each year, experts from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study flu virus samples from around the globe. Then they develop a vaccine that protects against the flu viruses most likely to circulate in the coming months. Look for updates on this year’s flu vaccine at flu.gov.

These experts recommend the vaccine for everyone age 6 months and older. It’s especially important if you are at high risk for serious flu-related complications. That includes those who are pregnant or have a chronic medical condition (such as asthma, diabetes or heart disease), or who live with someone who does.

Roll Up Your Sleeve

Flu vaccines are available at all Tanner primary care offices and on a walk-in basis at all Tanner Urgent Care centers. And if fear of a needle is what’s stopping you, ask if you can receive the vaccine through a nasal spray instead.

Tanner Primary Care at Mirror Lake is located in Villa Rica. for more information, visit PrimaryCareMirrorLake.org or call 770-812-3839.

Primary Care




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