When to Get a Flu Shot

It’s that time of year, as the Wyoming weather gets colder the flu bug runs rapid.  Flu shots are something to think about, but when should you get a flu shot?

According to the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, you should wait until October 1^st or after to get your flu shots.  Why?  According to Dr. Mark Dowell from Casper,Wyoming, it’s because typically the flu shot lasts anywhere from four to six months, and if you get your flu shot too early, you could run the risk of losing the effectiveness of the flu shot.  This especially holds true for people ages 65 and older, who are more susceptible to the flu bug.

You’re probably already seeing places around Cheyenne offering flu vaccinations, including King Soopers, Walgreens, and Sam’s Club, but this also raises the yearly question, DO you get a flu shot?

There’s several myths about the flu bug, including one that says getting the flu shot can ACTUALLY give you the flu!  However, according to MD.com, there’s “no way” you can get the flu by getting a flu shot.

“Injected flu vaccines only contain dead virus, and a dead virus is, well, dead: it can’t infect you.  There is one type of live virus flu vaccine, the nasal vaccine, FluMist.  But in this case, the virus is specially engineered to remove the parts of the virus that make people sick.”

But according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are some exceptions, or, should I say “egg-ceptions” when it comes to getting a flu shot.  If you’ve ever had a severe allergic reaction to eggs, you might be told NOT to get a flu shot, or to get a recombinant flu vaccine if you’re between the ages of 18 and 49.

If you’ve only had a minor reaction to eggs, such as a rash, you could get a flu shot with some additional precations.  In ANY case, ALWAYS consult your physician about any allergic reactions.

On the other end of the spectrum, some people flat out refuse to get a flu shot, with the belief that they could either get the flu from the shot, or that the vaccine could be harmful.  I’ve found that the years that I got the flu shot, I weathered the “flu storm” a little better, than in years that I didn’t get one.

Do you get a flu shot, and do you feel that the vaccine helped you through the flu season, or do you stay clear of the vaccine?