2006-09-29 09:49:37 · 10 answers · asked by Giggly Giraffe 7 in Health ➔ Other - Health
Some years the flu season starts really early. Some years it starts later. There have already been a few cases of flu in the past few weeks.
It takes about two weeks to build up immunity. So if you get a shot in early October, you should have immunity by the middle of the month.
Flu shots are not just the very young and very old.
Flu shots are important for...
all kids age 6 months to five years,
pregnant women,
everyone 50 years old and older ,
people who have certain chronic medical conditions (like asthma, heart problems, etc.)
people who live in nursing homes
anyone who lives with some from the list above
anyone who takes care of children younger than 6 months (because these babies are too young to be vaccinated)
health care workers.
You can get the shots from many pharmacies - CVS, Eckhard Drugs (probably others, but these are the ones that I know about) city and county health departments give flu shots and your doctors can give flu shots too.
Each year people actually die from the flu. In the United States an average of 36,000 die. Flu shots are important!
You can't catch the flu from getting flu shots because the vaccine contains killed virus (rather than live virus) and it can't make you sick.
The reason that people think it can cause the flu is because when you get the flu it takes a few days after you are infected for symptoms to show up. If you get a flu shot during those few days, when you are infected but not yet showing symptoms, you may think the shot made you sick.
But you were really infected before you got the shot and would have gotten sick even if you didn't get the shot.
2006-10-01 06:33:21 · answer #1 · answered by starlight 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Flu season is TYPICALLY february or march. However you can get the flu any time of year. Flu shots are given in october because it takes a while for your body to build up antibodies to fight off the flu.
2006-09-29 16:52:37 · answer #2 · answered by miamac49616 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Flu shots are meant to prevent the flu of some strains, so if you wait until February or March you've already been exposed to the germs and the shot will not be as effective.
2006-09-29 16:52:02 · answer #3 · answered by Hebrews 11 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The flu season actually can begin as earlier as October and last as late as May. You get a vaccine in October to help ensure that you won't get the virus.
2006-09-29 17:03:47 · answer #4 · answered by Equichick 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because the vaccine needs time to kick in. If you had it during flu season then you would be more at risk of getting the flu.
2006-09-29 16:53:13 · answer #5 · answered by bluetrailcomputer 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To get immunized. To give your body time to accept the anti-virus and build up immunity. So your body will be prepared to fight off a flu virus, if it attacks you. Flu shots are not a treatment for flu symptoms; they are a prevention.
2006-09-29 16:53:29 · answer #6 · answered by regerugged 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because they are taking a guess at what type of strain is coming in, you get the dead "Sample" so that your body can I.D the real one when it comes along later. If they guess wrong on the "Strain" your flu shot is worthless, u only need it if you're really old, or really young, otherwise, don't bother !
2006-09-29 16:52:59 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is no logic behind shots at all.
Do not get vaccinated. There is no scientific proof that the theory of vaccination is valid, yet there is considerable proof that Vaccines cause illness and death.
Just sit back and think about it for a while. Does it feel like sense to inject a disease directly into your bloodstream?
The way to avoid disease is to strengthen the immune system. Vaccination weakens it.
The Vaccination Hoax
http://www.whale.to/b/hoax1.html
A Detailed history of vaccination
http://dgwa1.fortunecity.com/body/vaccination.html
2006-09-30 20:23:55 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
So you body build up a Resistance to the flue you need to get your shots early
2006-09-29 16:51:42 · answer #9 · answered by tdexcourier 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because the vaccine will run out before then.
2006-09-29 16:51:25 · answer #10 · answered by MЯ BAIT™ 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋