3 Reasons You Shouldn’t Wait to Get Your Flu Vaccine

Flu season hasn’t arrived quite yet, but to protect your family, you’ll need to plan ahead. When it comes to the flu vaccine, there’s a lot of misinformation out there. But getting your family vaccinated for influenza is one of the best things you can do to keep them healthy and safe. Think you don’t need to worry about it until flu season starts? Think again. While flu season doesn’t really begin for another couple of months, you need to prepare ahead of time. Here are just a few reasons why you should head to your local 24 hour walk in clinic location and get your flu shot today.

1. It’s best to get it before November
   Experts recommend that children receive flu immunizations before the end of October, and that’s a good general rule for adults as well. That means it’s go-time. You may think it seems unnecessary to get your vaccine that far in advance, but it’s actually the best policy. Receiving your vaccination in the fall allows your body the opportunity to build up immunity before flu season really hits. That said, if you’ve put off getting it until well into the season, it’s still better to get it eventually than not at all.
2. You don’t want to wait until you get infected
   Part of the reason so many people believe the flu vaccine actually makes you come down with the flu is the fact that influenza doesn’t always present itself right away. It can take anywhere from one to four days for you to become symptomatic, and during that time, you can easily transmit the disease to other people. In addition, it takes one to two weeks for the flu shot to actually take effect in the body. That means you could have already contracted the flu by the time you get your shot, in which case the immunization would not have time to take effect before you start experiencing symptoms. By getting your shot early at your family medical center, you won’t have to waste time or have to pursue subsequent flu treatment should you fall ill.
3. It’s the best way to protect vulnerable loved ones
   Although some people think that it’s “just” the flu, the reality is that this virus can have serious consequences. In fact, over 100 children died last year due to flu-related complications, and 80% to 90% of those who died from influenza in recent years were not vaccinated. Whether you have young children, are currently pregnant, or are caring for an elderly relative, you can’t afford to take chances with the flu. Although natural immunization boosters can help (like embracing a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, and exercising regularly), those can’t replace the vaccines you and your children can receive at your 24 hour walk in clinic location. Pediatric urgent care centers are a great solution when you can’t make an appointment with your family doctor, and because urgent care clinics have an average of seven exam rooms and offer short wait times, you’ll gain protection as quickly as possible.

Let’s face it: no one looks forward to getting a shot. But in order to protect yourself and the ones you care about, it pays to think ahead. For more information about the flu vaccine or about our 24 hour walk in clinic location, contact us today.