Things You Should Know About the Flu Vaccine

Influenza virus causes sudden high fever, body aches, stuffy nose and nasty cough. Every year in the U.S., up to 20 percent of people get the flu. It can become a serious illness, especially in the very young, the elderly, pregnant women and those with chronic conditions such as asthma, obesity and diabetes. Most years about 200,000 Americans are hospitalized and more than 35,000 die due to influenza.

The flu vaccine not only reduces flu-related deaths by up to 80 percent, but dramatically reduces hospitalizations. By getting the flu vaccine, we reduce our own chance of illness and help control the spread of influenza throughout our community.

It’s a myth that you can get the flu from a flu shot. In fact, the most common side effects of a flu shot range from a little local discomfort and swelling at the injection site to a low-grade fever. So don’t wait! Vaccinate! To Find a Doctor offering pediatric flu vaccines, visit OrlandoHealth.com/PediatricCare.