Safeguarding Your Health with a Flu Shot

SAFEGUARDING Youь ш Health WITH SHOT FLU Flu Facts & Figures -20% of the U.S. population gets the flu every year An average of 200,000 people are hospitalized flu every year complications thousands 10 20 30 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200 million doses of flu vaccine 135-139 are available in the U.S. for this flu season 30 60 90 120 150 Adults develop antibodies against flu about 2 weeks after the vaccination 10 11 12 13 14 Flu shots reduce the risk of healthy adults getting the flu by 70-90% January and February are Usually peak months for flu January February What You Should Know About Flu Shots = antibodies HOW DO THEY WORK? The body reacts to the flu vaccine and develops antibodies Antibodies protect you against infection with the viruses in the vaccine You'll be protected for one flu season WHO SHOULD GET ONE? The CDC recommends everyone over 6 months old get a flu shot ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE WHO: Have medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, and chronic lung disease Are pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant Are younger than 5 Are 65 or older WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO GET ONE? As soon as the vaccine is available Vaccinations given early in the season provide the best protection against flu It's not too late to get a flu shot in December, January, or later WHAT DO THEY PROTECT AGAINST? The flu viruses predicted to be most common in the coming season The traditional (trivalent) vaccine for 2013-2014 protects against: Two influenza A viruses (H1N1 and H3N2) An influenza B virus The quadrivalent vaccine protects against an additional B virus This extra protection is not thought to be very important Influenza B causes milder disease Both vaccines are recommended equally this year 50/50 The current strain causing symptoms in January, 2014 is an influenza A H1N1 strain, very similar to the Hong Kong flu of 1968 Hong Kong Infographic provided by: Dr. Barbara Stark Baxter, M.D. www.barbarastarkbaxtermd.com Sources: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm http://www. webmd.com/cold-and-flu/flu-statistics http://www.webmd.com/vaccines/how-effective-is-flu-vaccine http://www.vaccines.gov/diseases/flu/ (millions)