10/12/2007

It is the Time of Year to Get Flu Shots
As we enter into flu season, the time of year when boxes of tissues and decongestants are flying off the shelves, Jersey City Medical Center acting Chief Medical Officer Dr. Neal Shipley highly recommends getting a flu shot from your family doctor – the single best way to prevent the flu.

"The flu shot remains the best way to prevent and control the flu, especially in the very young and elderly." said Dr. Shipley, who is also Vice President and Chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine.

Many people believe flu is not serious. But in the U.S., about 200,000 people are hospitalized and about 36,000 people die because of the flu each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

According to the CDC, the facts are:

• The flu shot cannot cause the flu. Some people get a little soreness or redness where they get the shot. Serious problems from the flu shot are extremely rare.
  
• The flu vaccine does work. In scientific studies, the effectiveness of the flu shot has ranged from 70 percent to 90 percent when there is a good match between circulating viruses and those in the vaccine.
  
• The side effects are not worse than the flu. The worst side effect you’re likely to get from a flu shot is a sore arm. The risk of a severe allergic reaction is less than one in four million.
  
• The elderly are not the only ones who need a flu shot. Adults and children with chronic conditions need to get a flu shot. Doctors also recommend children 6 months and older get a flu shot every year until their 5th birthday.

In addition to getting the flu shot, there are a number of other precautions you can take to lessen you or your children’s risk of getting the flu. Including:

• Use "cough etiquette." The American Academy of Pediatrics says to teach children to turn their heads and cough or sneeze into a disposable tissue or the inside of their elbow if a tissue is unavailable.
• Clean your hands frequently, especially after coughing or sneezing – with soap and warm water, or an alcohol-based hand cleaner.
• Use a standard household cleaner to regularly clean surfaces that are touched or handled frequently like doorknobs, water faucets, refrigerator handles, toys and telephones.
• If you get influenza or any respiratory illness, stay home from work or school and other public places until your symptoms improve.
• Keep yourself healthy. Eat right, get plenty of rest, drink plenty of fluids, and engage in moderate exercise on a regular basis.

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