When Should you Get the Flu Vaccine?

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CLEVELAND -As flu season gets underway, now is the time to get vaccinated, and that goes for your children too.

According to the CDC, it’s recommended that the flu shot be administered starting at six months old.

“Influenza, or flu as it's commonly known, causes many hospitalizations and sometimes even death,” said Neha Vyas, MD, family medicine physician for Cleveland Clinic. “It can also lead to missed days at work and school, so it's important to get yourself and your loved ones immunized.”

Dr. Vyas said there are different types of flu vaccines, including the standard injection in the arm and also a nasal-spray version, which was recently approved by the FDA.

It hasn’t been rolled out to the public just yet and will only be available to healthy, non-pregnant individuals between the ages of two and 49.

The side effects are similar for both vaccines and typically include headache, fever, muscle aches, nausea and fatigue.

Dr. Vyas said they are generally mild and will go away on their own in a couple of days.

However, if needed, she suggests taking ibuprofen or acetaminophen.

“There are rare instances of people having a reaction to the flu vaccine or having acquired a condition called Guillain-Barre with previous vaccines who may not be a candidate for the influenza vaccine,” she said. “But by and large, the influenza vaccine is recommended for all persons over the age of six months.”

Besides getting vaccinated, Dr. Vyas said there are other precautions to keep in mind, like regularly washing your hands, sanitizing high touch surfaces, and staying home when you’re sick.