Here are a few important reasons:
- Improves your chances of staying healthy during the flu season.
- Reduces the chance your friends or family will get sick.
- The viruses change over time. Getting this year’s shot gives you the best protection.
- Reduces your chances of missing time from work or special events.
- The flu virus lives on surfaces you touch.
Are you a health care or emergency worker?
- You have a high risk of passing the virus to vulnerable people, even if you don’t feel sick.
- Get the flu shot to protect yourself, your coworkers, and those you serve in our community.
Here are some basic facts about the flu vaccine:
- It takes about two weeks for the flu vaccine to build protection in your body.
- The flu vaccine does not cause the flu.
- Even if you get the flu after receiving vaccine, the symptoms tend to be milder.
- The vaccine does not protect against other illnesses that have symptoms like influenza.
What’s the big deal about the flu?
- Even very healthy people can become quite ill, missing up to 5-7 days of work.
- You could pass the virus to someone who is at high risk for getting very sick with the flu, or for a complication of the flu like pneumonia, such as a pregnant woman, a baby, someone with diabetes, or an older relative.