How Flu Vaccines Can Help You Stay Safe during this Flu Season

September 30, 2021
Covid19, General Physician

The very unpredictable flu season is upon us. Cases of flu mostly start increasing from October and peak between December and February. 

One of the safest ways of avoiding flu is taking flu shots. A yearly flu vaccine is recommended for everyone, including children six months and older and pregnant women. Getting a flu vaccine every year is the best way to help prevent flu. It also helps avoid serious complications like hospitalizations and fatalities. In the case of kids, the annual flu vaccine can be lifesaving.

Multiple studies have shown that a flu vaccine reduces the risk of getting seriously ill. It is important to note that you can get afflicted with COVID-19 and flu at the same time. During the upcoming months both COVID and flu might spread together.

Flu Season and COVID-19

You can take it at the same time as a COVID-19 vaccine. However, medical practitioners recommend taking the shots in different arms. While the threat of COVID-19 still persists, it is time to prepare for the flu season as well. Taking both the vaccines is essential to protect yourself and your family members.

Also read: COVID-19 Vaccine: 14 Commonly Asked Questions

At DocGenie we have launched monthly packages that offer continuous proactive care including consultation with an experienced doctor. The tests help the doctor understand patients better, including their lifestyle, heredity risks, etc, and bring in specialists if needed. The package on physiotherapy particularly helps patients regain strength post-Covid. Since weakness is one of the major issues with Covid package will help you recover faster.

Last flu season was very mild because people all over the world were quarantining. They were maintaining social distancing and wore masks to avoid COVID-19. This also gave them protection against flu. But doctors feel this year, there might be many cases of flu since governments around the world have relaxed strict COVID-19 prevention measures. 

Historically flu has been a major public health threat. It can happen to anyone, including children, teens, adults, and pregnant individuals. Notably, new flu vaccines are created every year to help protect against flu viruses. Like every year the available flu vaccines this year will be quadrivalent. This means the vaccines will provide protection from four circulating flu strains. Moreover, they will be available as shots or nasal sprays. You can take any of the available vaccines. Special vaccines are also available for older adults for giving them stronger immunity.

When should you get your flu shot? 

The right time to get the flu shots in October. If you are not seeing any flu case right at this moment, remember it could happen soon. Hence, it is better to proactively take protection before it starts to spread. Once vaccinated, the body takes nearly two weeks to build immunity against the flu. 

Pregnant women who are in their 3rd trimester must get the flu vaccine as soon as it’s available. This will ensure protection against serious flu symptoms for both mother and child. However, pregnant women should not go for nasal spray.

We suggest that you consult a healthcare provider about which flu vaccine(s) is right for you and your family. It is better to plan now and get vaccinated before the flu starts spreading. You can also book an appointment with one of our highly experienced GPs on DocGenie to know about flu vaccines.

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Benefits of Flu Vaccination

Getting a flu vaccine every year is very important and has the following benefits –

  • Keeps you safe from getting sick with flu
  • Lessens the risks of serious flu-related complications, including hospitalization.
  • Keeps people around you safe. Older people and those with chronic health conditions are more prone to serious flu illness and flu-related complications.
  • Protects pregnant women and their babies both during and after pregnancy.

Also read: Know About Flu

Do you know about Pneumococcal pneumonia?

It is a condition that results from severe flu-related complications. It can cause hospitalization or even fatality. During every flu season, individuals who are 65 years of age and older should consult their doctors regarding pneumococcal vaccinations. This is also true for those with certain chronic conditions.

At DocGenie we have a panel of top general physicians for online doctor consultation which will enable you to get medical care without traveling. Our GPs are also highly qualified to take care of diseases like Flu.

Also read: Winter Illnesses and Benefits of Full Body Check-up

DocGenie is an online telemedicine platform that provides you with quality healthcare from the comfort of your own space. On DocGenie, you can book an online consultation with highly qualified doctors as well as book lab tests for home collection.

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