Fall is here! That means, colorful scarves, sweet lattes, cooler weather, and the occasional runny nose. Avoid the plague this holiday season with a flu shot.
With health centers at UCF’S main campus; Knights Plaza by the CFE Arena, the Rosen campus, and the Health Sciences campus—UCF’s got the flu season covered. Check a health center near you for flu shot availability.
But it’s not even cold yet! Surely this can wait, right?
Wrong!
It takes two weeks for the vaccination to be at its fullest flu butt-kicking capacity, so the earlier you get it the better. The Center for Disease Control recommends October as the best month to get the vaccination, right after the newest vaccine has become available. So get your flu shot ASAP! They’re available at doctor’s offices, clinics, health departments, pharmacies and college health centers—just about everywhere, and often at little to no cost for you. Use the Health Map Vaccine Finder to locate a center nearby.
Okay, cool. So once I get the flu shot, I’m good right?
Nope, sorry.
The flu shot isn’t 100% effective, but it still offers greater protection than going without. Even if you do come down with the flu, the vaccine will help you combat the illness more effectively when used with antiviral medication, shortening how long you stay sick.
But I hate needles!
Good news! The flu shot is also available by nasal spray!
I’m already sick :(
Ask your doctor for antiviral medicine. Medicines like Tamiflu help fight the flu, but often aren’t prescribed by doctors, so make sure you ask. Once you’ve stopped oozing germs, scoot over to a clinic for the flu shot.
There is no perfect vaccine for the flu yet, but every year manufactures work hard to make the best one possible available to the public. This year, instead of fighting the flu, go out and have fun while your roommate sits at home with a stuffed up nose and a bowl of soup.
For more information, and to debunk a few flu vaccine myths, watch this quick vid featuring Dr. Sanjay Gupta.
Photo credit:
http://img.webmd.com/dtmcms/live/webmd/consumer_assets/site_images/artic…
http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/9c4fd3b28cfe6cb26bb2d1b11c04c8b07e0b5075…
http://www.sharegif.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/tumblr_mxh16fNka91qf9…