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As flu season approaches, Cleveland Clinic is offering flu vaccination clinics at numerous locations across Northeast Ohio. Information on all the clinics, including dates, times and locations, can be found at www.clevelandclinic.org/flu.
Flu experts recommend everyone six months and older should get vaccinated every year by the end of October. The flu is contagious and can cause serious respiratory infection. The timing of seasonal flu activity is unpredictable and can vary, but most typically occurs between October and May. After vaccination, it can take two to four weeks for the antibodies that protect against the influenza virus infection to develop in the body. Vaccination is especially important for people at high risk for developing flu complications, such as adults age 65 and older, pregnant women, people with chronic medical conditions, and children younger than age five. Yearly vaccination provides the best protection against flu throughout the season.
“The flu results in thousands of hospitalizations and deaths each year, and last year’s severe season was a reminder of just how serious influenza can be,” said Susan Rehm, M.D., an infectious disease specialist at Cleveland Clinic. “By getting vaccinated, you are not only protecting yourself, but those around you.”
The 2017-2018 flu season was one of the longest and most deadly in recent years, lasting 19 weeks. According to the CDC, about 30,500 people were hospitalized for confirmed influenza and influenza accounted for the deaths of 180 children.
In addition to getting the vaccine, you can take flu-prevention measures all season long, such as staying away from sick people and washing your hands to reduce the spread of germs. If you are sick with flu, stay home from work or school to prevent spreading flu to others. In addition, there are prescription antiviral medications that can be used to treat influenza illness.
For the 2018-2019 season, the nasal spray flu vaccine is again an option for influenza vaccination, after being off the market for the past two years. The nasal spray is approved for use in non-pregnant individuals, 2 years through 49 years of age. However, some pediatric groups are not recommending the nasal spray, so it’s best to consult your physician about what vaccination is best for you and your child.
About Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, it was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. U.S. News & World Report consistently names Cleveland Clinic as one of the nation’s best hospitals in its annual “America’s Best Hospitals” survey. Among Cleveland Clinic’s 52,000 employees are more than 3,600 full-time salaried physicians and researchers and 14,000 nurses, representing 140 medical specialties and subspecialties. Cleveland Clinic’s health system includes a 165-acre main campus near downtown Cleveland, 11 regional hospitals, more than 150 northern Ohio outpatient locations – including 18 full-service family health centers and three health and wellness centers – and locations in Weston, Fla.; Las Vegas, Nev.; Toronto, Canada; Abu Dhabi, UAE; and London, England. In 2017, there were 7.6 million outpatient visits, 229,000 hospital admissions and 207,000 surgical cases throughout Cleveland Clinic’s health system. Patients came for treatment from every state and 185 countries. Visit us at clevelandclinic.org. Follow us at twitter.com/ClevelandClinic. News and resources available at newsroom.clevelandclinic.org.
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