Five Things You Should Know About Flu Shots

There are three types of influenza that travels with the winter chill. Type A includes the dread H1N1 (or swine flu) and H5N1 (bird flu), while B and C occur less frequently. Seasonal flu shots help to inoculate the recipient from type A and B influenza.

• The Center for Disease Control recommends pregnant women, children under of the ages of 5, and anyone 50 and older receive a flu shot every winter.

• Get your family flu shots once they become available in your community. Waiting until later in the winter season means increasing your family’s chance of contracting the virus. Plus, flu vaccines are limited, and the longer you wait the greater the chance your community may run out of shots to distribute.

• There are three available types of flu shots. A regular flu shot is appropriate for anyone over the age of six months. A high-dose vaccine is generally given to individuals 65 and over, while an intramural flu shot is administered to people between the ages of 18 to 64.

• Being afraid of needles is no longer a valid excuse for not getting a flu shot. Children and parents who are terrified of pointy medical instruments can elect to receive a nasal-spray flu vaccine instead of a shot. A Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine (or LAIV) can be administered to healthy individuals between the ages of 2 to 49.

Timothy Lemke is a family man and freelance writer living in Portland, Oregon. For more tips on how to keep your children healthy and their smiles bright, visit Dr. Fred Fischer, a dentist in Tigard Oregon.

Tags: flu, know, shot

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Comment by Elena Volovich on January 1, 2012 at 12:58am: I had the flu shot a few years ago and it didn't do much for me, I still got sick that year, multiple times

Comment by LaDonna on December 30, 2011 at 9:31pm: I'm a hand washing freak, but you can bet your sweet toot if it's going around... I'm gonna catch it!

Comment by Malika Bourne on December 30, 2011 at 9:11pm: As I understand it the "flu shot" is specific to certain types of influenza. The "flu shot" will not keep anyone from picking up a virus or bacterial infection or a different variey of influenza.

Good handwashing does help eliminate or reduce exposure to many bugs floating around out there. Eating the best the can helps keep your imune system in better shape. Small children and older adults are the most suseptible or the most likely to be more severely affected by influenza.

Comment by Melissa L on December 30, 2011 at 7:41pm: I got the flu shot twice, and got very sick both winters. I'm not sure if it's just coincidence, but the years that I haven't had the flu shot, I've only had mild colds. I'm scared to get the shot now.

Comment by Malika Bourne on December 29, 2011 at 6:22pm: I am glad I have gotten one this year and the past few years. Normally I have been to one to stay healthy when everyone around me dropped. I say it is due to good hand washing. this year though, I have gotten everything iI think. I have been sick more times than I have in 40 years. No kidding. so I am gald to havve an immunization for the flu.

Comment by Donna Battle on December 26, 2011 at 9:13pm: I'm regretting not getting one. I've had 3 major medical procedures this year and my resistance is way down. I should have gotten one :(

Comment by beau on December 4, 2011 at 3:15pm: one thing this article doesn't mention is that for toddlers getting their first flu shot, they will need to get two separate shots a few weeks apart.

Comment by John Joseph on December 3, 2011 at 11:39am: or flu mist a vaccine is what i should of said not specifically shot

Comment by John Joseph on December 3, 2011 at 11:38am: we recieved the flu mist every year while I was in the navy, They didnt give us the shot version. In this day in age where strains are stronger A FLU SHOT is a must

Comment by Cori Westphal on November 28, 2011 at 12:25pm: Thanks for sharing this info! I have to add that I brought my kids (7 and 8 at the time) in last year for a flu shot. I asked about the nasal spray and they told me that that it's not as effective as the shot, and that they didn't administer it unless there was some good reason that they couldn't give the shot. Maybe it's different this year, but it definitely wasn't something they were promoting last year. It was a bummer because my kids were looking forward to not getting a shot!