6 Things Everyone Should Know About the Flu Shot
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s especially important to roll up your sleeve and get your flu shot this year. While the flu shot won’t protect against COVID-19, it reduces your risk of the flu and serious complications, including hospitalization. With the health care system strained due to COVID-19 patients, anything you can do to stay healthy can help prevent further overload on hospitals and health care workers.
This includes wearing a mask when out in public, observing social distancing, not gathering with people outside your immediate household to the best of your ability and getting your flu shot.
Before you head to your doctor, clinic or participating pharmacy to get your shot, there are a few things to know:
- It takes two weeks for the vaccine to kick in. This is a good reason to get vaccinated early in the season, when flu viruses spread slowly.
- Getting the flu shot will not cause you to get the flu.
- It’s generally fine to get a flu shot if you are feeling sick, but if you have a fever, it’s best to wait. Always consult with your doctor prior to getting the flu shot, especially if you have a chronic condition.
- You may experience mild side effects from the shot, such as soreness at the injection site, mild fever or nausea.
- Talk to your health care provider if you have a history of severe allergic reactions to vaccines or an allergy to eggs. Some vaccines are made using small amounts of egg proteins, but there are types of flu vaccines that don’t contain any. If you have any concerns regarding the flu shot, talk to your doctor.
- Children under the age of six months are too young to receive the vaccine, but if you’re pregnant, the CDC recommends you get the flu shot. It will protect both you and your baby from serious flu complications.
If you’re a Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan or Blue Care Network member, visit a participating pharmacy with your member ID card to get your flu shot today. While most pharmacies will accept your coverage, be sure to ask before you get your vaccine. Then, write down the date and let your doctor know at your next appointment so he or she can keep your immunization chart up to date.
You can also schedule an appointment with your primary care doctor to get one. Your office visit copayment may apply.
For Blue Cross members without Blue Cross pharmacy coverage: Visit bcbsm.com/preventflu to see a list of immunizing pharmacies that provide vaccines under your medical coverage.
Related:
i want to know how many time you have to take the flu shot in a year .
Hi Tre’Von, based on the CDC’s recommendations, the flu vaccine is recommended yearly from ages 3 and up. We have an immunization guide you can reference with any additional questions here: https://www.facebook.com/mibcn/app_299726500173014. Thank you.
How many confirmed cases of flu were reported in Michigan last year?
Hi Kevin, The 2014-2015 flu season numbers haven’t been updated by the Michigan Department of Community Health yet, but from September 29, 2013 to May 17, 2014, 3,221 individual cases of the influenza in Michigan were reported to the Michigan Disease Surveillance System. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also has a helpful Flu View tracker that helps monitor influenza-like illness activity throughout the country. It can be found here: http://gis.cdc.gov/grasp/fluview/main.html Hope this helps!
As actual cases of Influenza may not be as not common as thought, (see your answer to my 2015 question below, Michigan’s population approaching 10 million) does the annual flu shot protect you from “flu like symptoms?” (Which is not the flu, and the actual diagnosis of what the vast majority of the population do experience, instead of an actual flu virus.)