Getting a flu shot should be the first step in preventing influenza, according to IU Health Center medical director Beth Rupp. Anyone 6 months old or older should get an annual flu shot, unless they have had a severe allergic reaction to the flu vaccine or one of its components in the past.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that during the 2016-17 flu season, the vaccine prevented 5.3 million illnesses and 2.6 million medical visits.
Here are some more tips from Rupp:
- Try to get your flu vaccine before flu begins spreading in your community. It takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body, so make plans to get vaccinated early in the fall, preferably before the end of October.
- Getting a flu shot protects yourself but also those around you who may be particularly vulnerable to the flu.
- Groups that are at the highest risk from the flu include the elderly, infants and those with chronic medical conditions. If you regularly interact with such people, you can help protect them by getting a flu shot.
See dates and times flu shots will be administered on your campus this fall:
