Flu Shots Are Available in Manchester, CT

Each year, before flu season begins, you might wonder if you should get your annual influenza vaccine. You’re busy—are flu shots worth it? Yes, they are! At PhysicianOne Urgent Care in Manchester, Connecticut, we urge you to come in and roll up your sleeve. Here are some of the reasons why it’s so important to stay on top of your flu shot game year after year:

The Flu—& Flu Shots—Change Every Year

Unlike some vaccinations, an influenza vaccine is not a one-and-done deal. Because flu strains are constantly evolving, you can’t rely on last year’s flu shot to protect you against this year’s virus. Based on informed predictions of which types of influenza will be most prevalent in the coming months, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) formulate a unique flu-fighting vaccine each year in late summer.

A Previous Bout With the Flu Will Not Make You Immune

Because influenza strains are always changing, the flu virus can evade your body’s immune system. Here’s how: If you become infected, your body will produce antibodies to fight off the current virus, but as the strains mutate over time, your “old” antibodies may not recognize a “new” virus. Therefore, regardless of whether you’ve had the flu in the past, you will remain susceptible to it for life.

A Flu Shot Can Help You Feel Better

If you get this year’s flu shot, you will be better protected against the currently circulating influenza strains. Also, if you do become infected, your flu shot can lessen your discomfort. In addition to coughing, nasal congestion, a sore throat, headaches, and fever, the flu can cause extreme fatigue, body aches, and chills. It can also lead to serious complications that may require hospitalization, such as pneumonia.

What’s more, the symptoms of influenza are very similar to the symptoms of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). This can create anxiety among patients and strain the health care system. While flu shots do not protect against COVID-19, they reduce influenza-related illnesses, which can lessen the burden on health care providers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

You can receive flu shots and treatment on a walk-in basis at PhysicianOne Urgent Care in Manchester. Come in today!