With flu season fast approaching and many doctors and pharmacies offering the vaccine, many people are probably wondering if they would be better off with or without the flu shot this year.
If you have serious medical conditions for which you are taking a prescription drug, you should consult your doctor. If not, here are 5 groups that can definitely benefit from getting a flu shot as soon as possible this year and every year.
school age children–Children younger than 6 months should not receive a vaccine, but otherwise, students from preschool through college may benefit. Large clumps make it easy for germs to spread quickly from contact with frequently used surfaces, as well as from inhaling or swallowing airborne germs through sneezing and coughing.
Because students are constantly in such close proximity to each other, it is almost impossible not to avoid contagion. The extra boost that the flu shot gives your immune system can help you avoid or lessen the severity of its grip on you.
Parents of young children–Because babies and young children are always held or being held by their parents, germs can be passed very easily from parent to child. Parents who received the vaccine provide more protection for children, especially if the baby is too young to receive the shot.
School staff–If you interact with large numbers of children in any capacity at a school, you are at higher risk than the average adult. Most public elementary schools have enrollments of 500 to 1,000 students.
Even if each child sneezed just once and forgot to cover it with a hand or tissue, the amount of germs in the air would be phenomenal. So, actually, it’s surprising that anyone would keep up with the real number of germs that are floating in the air and waiting on doorknobs, pencils, backpacks, and other commonly used items.
Residents of Nursing Homes and Assisted Living–In many cases, many residents have immune systems that cannot fight germs like they used to. This may be due to a natural decline in immunity, or they may also be taking medications that suppress the body’s ability to respond effectively to viruses that can be so debilitating.
Residents with memory problems may no longer be able to practice proper hygiene and inadvertently put everyone else in the facility at greater risk.
Healthcare professionals–Anyone who comes into frequent contact with sick people should take advantage of the protection offered by the flu vaccine. It can’t offer you protection, but it can make you less of a threat to those you go home with each night.