The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns of an increased number of people getting influenza in the following weeks, as February is known to be the month when influenza reaches its peak.

 

Therefore, this is the time to get your flu shot. According to the health agency, the vaccine is 90 percent effective in healthy adults. About two weeks after vaccination, antibodies that provide protection against virus infection develop in the body.

 

Older people and people with certain chronic illnesses might develop less immunity than healthy young adults after vaccination. However, even for these high-risk individuals, the vaccine can still provide protection against severe complications of the flu, the CDC says.

 

According to the most recent data provided by the CDC, one in five Americans gets the flu every year. Of these, 200,000 are hospitalized and about 36,000 die from influenza-related complications. Up to 90 percent of them are seniors.

 

Getting the vaccine is an important step in preventing complications and deaths from the flu. The infection can develop in pneumonia, which in young children and the elderly alike can be fatal. This is the reason for which these two categories are the most urged to get immunized.

 

Besides them, people who are at a high risk of having serious complications from the flu or people who live or care for those at high risk for serious complications should get vaccinated right away. These people include pregnant women, people of any age with certain chronic medical conditions, people who live in nursing homes and other long term care facilities, home caregivers of children less than 6 months or age and healthcare workers.

 

 Those who contract the infection should consult their doctor as soon as possible for anti-viral flu medicine. Taking that medicine right away will ease symptoms and make them feel better.