| St.
Mary's Clinic to provide flu shots
It's that "special" time of the year again and St. Mary's Clinics & Clearwater Valley Clinics will be offering our annual flu shots. Appointments are not required, just stop in during the flu shot clinic times to receive yours. Flu shots help protect not only you, but everyone around you and they are the first line of defense to keeping you and your family healthy. Keep reading for more information... Who should get vaccinated this season? Everyone 6 months of age and older should get a flu vaccine every season. Vaccination is particularly important for people who are at high risk of serious complications from influenza. Flu vaccination has important benefits. It can reduce flu illnesses, doctors’ visits, and missed work and school due to flu, as well as prevent flu-related hospitalizations. Flu vaccine also has been shown to be life-saving in children. In fact, a 2017 study showed that flu vaccination can significantly reduce a child’s risk of dying from flu. When should I get vaccinated? You should get a flu vaccine before flu begins spreading in your community. It takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies that protect against flu to develop in the body. CDC recommends that people get a flu vaccine by the end of October. Getting vaccinated later, however, can still be beneficial and vaccination should continue to be offered throughout the flu season, even into January or later. Children who need two doses of vaccine to be protected should start the vaccination process sooner, because the two doses must be given at least four weeks apart. |
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