Preventing  Seasonal Flu (Influenza)

flu
The flu season in Georgia begins in early October and can run as late in the year as May. With such a long window of opportunity for contracting the influenza virus, the flu is regarded as one of the nation’s most common illnesses.  
In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates 5 to 20 percent of Americans get the flu and more than 200,000 people are hospitalized each year from flu-related health complications.
This year’s flu season is likely to be a tough one for two reasons.  First, more than 90 percent of the influenza specimens tested nationwide are Influenza A (H3N2), and the rates of hospitalization and deaths are typically higher in seasons when H3N2 is the dominant strain.  Second, half of the H3N2 samples don’t match the vaccine produced for the 2014-2015 season indicating the virus has mutated or changed since the vaccine was formulated early this year.

Who Should Get the Flu Shot

People who can get the flu shot:

  • Different flu shots are approved for people of different ages, but there are flu shots that are approved for use in people as young as 6 months of age and up. Flu shots are approved for use in pregnant women and people with chronic health conditions.

People who can’t get the flu shot:

  • Children younger than 6 months are too young to get a flu shot
  • People with severe, life-threatening allergies to flu vaccine or any ingredient in the vaccine. This might include gelatin, antibiotics, or other ingredients.

Note: There are certain flu shots that have different age indications. For example people younger than 65 years of age should not get the high-dose flu shot and people who are younger than 18 years old or older than 64 years old should not get the intradermal flu shot.
People who should talk to their doctor before getting the flu shot:

  • If you have an allergy to eggs or any of the ingredients in the vaccine. Talk to your doctor about your allergy.
  • If you ever had Guillain-Barré Syndrome (a severe paralyzing illness, also called GBS). Some people with a history of GBS should not get this vaccine. Talk to your doctor about your GBS history.

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