This year’s flu vaccine will protect individuals from four different flu strains.
Cindy Ruma, Immunization Coordinator for the VNA, says kids who are vaccinated are admitted to the hospital for flu complications 72% less than those who don’t.
As in years past, you may elect to get the flu vaccine via a shot or nasal mist. Ruma says the nasal mist will be a bit slower to arrive to your physician’s office this year.
She says the vaccines primarily help prevent serious illness in older people and in people with health problems.
"They get the vaccine but they can also get sick from us. So that’s why the CDC recommends that everyone in America get a flu shot. We used to vaccinate old people, over age 65, and then a study came out saying the vectors were children under four. So that’s when we really expanded the vaccine to everybody getting a flu shot.”
Dr. Adi Pour, Director for the Douglas County Health Department, says everyone six months of age or older to get a yearly flu vaccine because the virus is always changing.
She said it not only protects ourselves but also those around us.
The VNA offers flu immunization clinics starting from 11:30 to 1 and 4-6 Mondays through Thursdays and no appointment is needed. For more information, the website is theVNAcares.org.