Flu
Season: When Does It Start?
Flu season starts to peak in November
and continues to peak through April. The Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) recommend getting your flu vaccine in the months of October and November in order to
prevent an outbreak to the flu
virus. Every flu season a new batch of the flu
vaccine is made. Scientists consider what strains of the virus
are going to be a threat that flu season and develop the vaccine
accordingly. There are usually 3 deactivated or killed stains of
the flu virus in the vaccine each new flu season.
This flu season, due to vaccination shortages and new strains, the CDC is recommending
that specific priority groups get their vaccinations first. The priority group is as follows:
- Children between ages 6-23 months
- Adults aged 65+
- Individuals with chronic conditions aged
2-64
- Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant
- Residents of nursing homes/long term facilities
- Children between 6 months to 18 years of
age on chronic aspirin therapy
- Health care workers that work in direct patient
care
- Household contacts/out-side caregivers of
children under 6 months of age
People who have severe allergies
to chicken eggs or those who have Guillain-Barre syndrome (obtained
after a flu vaccine) should not receive get a flu vaccine.
The best tip for flu
prevention for those unable to get a flu
vaccination or for those in the priority group to further protect
them selves this flu season is to maintain a healthy immune system.
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