September is typically the start of flu season, so now is a good time for a refresher about this important topic.

Heath Perdue is a Registered Nurse and Infection Preventionist for Prowers Medical Center. It’s his job to help keep the Lamar-area community as protected as possible from dangerous infectious diseases like influenza. Here are his answers to some critical questions about flu ’22.

Why do we need a flu shot every year?

The flu shot helps prevent people from catching and passing on the flu to their friends, family and coworkers. It also reduces the severity of illness for those who do get sick.

It’s important to get vaccinated against influenza every year because every year the flu is slightly different. The World Health Organization (WHO) monitors the flu year-round, all over the planet. When it’s summer in the northern hemisphere and flu is rare, it’s winter in the southern hemisphere and flu is prevalent. The WHO uses the strains that are most prevalent in the southern hemisphere to predict which strains will circulate in the northern hemisphere the following winter—which for us starts now. Using this information, they create a new vaccine each year customized to that year’s particular risks.

Why is the high-dose vaccine recommended for people aged 65+?

Compared to the regular vaccine, the high-dose vaccine contains four times the antigen. That’s the part of the vaccine that helps your body build immunity to the flu. Older people generally have a reduced immune response, so they need a higher dose of antigen to build their immunity. A study in the New England Journal of Medicine indicated that the high-dose vaccine is 24 percent more effective at preventing the flu in older adults than the standard-dose vaccine.

Where to Get a Flu Shot

The flu vaccine is manufactured by just a handful of companies worldwide, and the formula is the same for all manufacturers. Where you get your flu shot doesn’t affect the quality of the vaccine you receive.   In our community, you can get your flu shot at Prowers Medical Center Clinic, High Plains Community Health Center, Prowers County Public Health & Environment, or your favorite local pharmacy.

Prowers Medical Center Clinic is currently offering flu shots on a walk-in basis. If you have questions, please call 719-336-6767.

Do kids really need a flu shot?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone aged 6 months and older, with rare exceptions, should get a flu shot. Children—especially infants and toddlers—have immature immune systems that can’t yet mount an adequate response to fight infection. A case of the flu that might make an adult feel sick for a few days can be fatal to a child.

Can you get the flu from the flu shot?

No, you cannot get the flu by receiving the flu shot. The flu vaccine is not a live virus but instead inactivated parts of the virus that alert the body to the presence of a foreign substance. This trains the body’s immune system to know what the flu looks like and how to fight it effectively. People sometimes think that the flu shot gave them the flu because their immune response to the vaccination can cause mild flu-like symptoms, such as headache, muscle aches and low fever. That means the flu shot is working!

What’s the best time to get a flu shot?

According to the CDC, September and October are the best months to get a flu shot. Ideally, everyone would be vaccinated by the end of October because then they’d have protection all flu season long.

But when it comes to flu shots, it’s also better late than never. A flu shot in the middle of the winter will still protect you for the remainder of the flu season. Last winter, we didn’t see a high incidence of flu locally until January 2022, and we had another small outbreak in April. There’s even been the occasional positive test in June.

Is it okay to get a flu shot at the same time as other vaccinations, such as COVID?

The CDC says yes, it’s OK. The shots should be given in different spots, though, such as one in each arm. If you’re someone who doesn’t usually have issues after vaccinations and want to get them over with at the same time, it’s safe to do so. On the other hand, if you’re someone who has a history of feeling poorly for a couple of days after vaccination, then you might want to allow some time in between. If you do space them out, the CDC recommends getting them at least four weeks apart.