Humming “Hit Me with Your Best Shot,” the infectious 1980s song by Pat Benatar, might be a good reminder for you to get this year’s flu shot and help Team Tinker stay healthy.
The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses and can cause mild to severe illness. 72nd Medical Operations Squadron Sgt. Amanda Buckler with the 72nd Medical Group said this year’s flu vaccines will help protect people against three to four of the most prevalent flu strains from last year.
“Each vaccine is always manufactured a little differently each year in order to ensure a broad spectrum of flu strains are covered,” Buckler said. “I always recommend for people age six months and older to get a flu shot.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website states that it researches the flu strains circulating the previous year. Vaccines have been developed to prevent or protect the public against the following:
A/Michigan/45/2015 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus
A/Singapore/INFIMH-16-0019/2016 A(H3N2)-like virus (updated)
B/Colorado/06/2017-like (Victoria lineage) virus (updated)
A four-component vaccine, which protects against a second lineage of B viruses, is recommended for the three recommended viruses above, plus the B/Phuket/3073/2013-like (Yamagata lineage) virus.
Buckler said although flu viruses can mutate, getting a flu shot can help prevent the illness from spreading or lessen symptoms if someone does catch it.
“When someone has the flu, they usually have high fevers, their whole body aches and they usually throw up and have diarrhea,” she said. “With the flu, you’re usually down for a week. My recommendation is that if you have those symptoms, stay home from work or school and see your medical provider.”
If an infected person seeks medical help in the early stages of illness, Buckler said medical providers may offer prescription medications called antiviral drugs like Tamiflu that can treat influenza.
The CDC recommends people wash their hands to reduce the spread of germs. It states seasonal flu activity often begins as early as October and November and can continue to occur as late as May. Flu activity most commonly peaks in the United States between December and February.
The flu is serious business for some people, especially among older adults, pregnant women, very young children and people with certain chronic medical conditions. They are at risk of hospitalization or even death.
For more information about the flu, visit https://www.cdc.gov/flu/index.htm.
Flu shots are now available at the immunizations clinic at the Medical Group for all active duty members, for people over 65 and children who receive TRICARE. The hours are 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.