As the flu season will be approaching soon, it is essential to get seasonal flu vaccination from a health clinic in New Jersey to protect yourself against the viruses. Influenza, or the flu, is a respiratory infection caused by the influenza virus. It is highly contagious, and an outbreak usually happens every year. Flu viruses usually infect the nose, airway, throat, and lungs. It can spread very easily and rapidly when someone who is infected talks, coughs, or sneezes. The infection spreads through droplets and can cause severe complications for some people who are at high risk of illness, such as:
- Young children between 6 months and 5 years of
age
- Older people with chronic health
conditions
- Pregnant women
In addition, people with certain chronic conditions such as the following are at high risk of complications if they get infected with the influenza virus:
- People with chronic heart or lung conditions
(such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia, asthma)
- Those with chronic conditions with immune
deficiencies, such as patients with cancer or HIV
- Those who have diabetes or other metabolic
diseases
- Those with chronic kidney disease
- People who suffer from anemia or a hemoglobin
disorder
- Severely obese children and older adults
- Those with disorders of the brain or nervous system
These high-risk patients can develop serious complications (such as pneumonia) that can result in hospitalization and even death in severe cases. However, getting the Influenza vaccinations in NJ can protect you from the flu risk to a great extent. As per CDC, people should get flu shots a minimum of once or twice a year, especially for people who are at a high risk of complications from the illness.
Why is the Influenza Vaccine Needed Every Year?
The influenza viruses rapidly change every year. Therefore, the vaccination is not 100% effective in fighting the new kind of influenza virus. As people don’t stay immune to flu viruses for an extended period, new variants of the flu vaccines are developed twice a year to protect people from the evolved influenza virus. The flu shots are usually given once a year, from October to November. However, as per CDC, it is recommended to get vaccinated with the updated influenza vaccination from a clinic in NJ twice a year to stay immune throughout the flu season.
If you have not had your flu shot this
year, visit your nearest Vaccination Clinic in New Jersey to get one.
