Canyonlands Healthcare is offering flu vaccines in seven Arizona community locations. View the Canyonlands Healthcare location in your area.
For the Page – Lake Powell area, call the Lake Powell Medical Center at 928.645.8123.
The CDC (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recommend everyone 6-months-old and older get vaccinated before the end of October, 2018.
According to the Arizona Daily Star, 35,000 cases of lab-confirmed flu were reported in Arizona last flu season, 2017-2018.
Statewide in Arizona, 1,178 people died from influenza and pneumonia in the 2017-18 flu season, much higher than the 400 to 700 average. Five of the deaths in Arizona were children.
Nationally, over 80,000 people died last flu season, according to the CDC. Over 180 children died and 80 percent of them were not vaccinated.
The Flu Vaccine
The most common misconception health officials hear about getting the flu vaccine is it will make recipients sick or that they will get sick even if they have been vaccinated.
According to health officials, the flu shot does not contain a living virus, so it can’t infect your body. The nasal spray contains a weakened virus that also won’t make you sick. However, if you are exposed to flu germs right before or right after you’re vaccinated, you could still get sick.
Even if the vaccine is not a perfect match, it can shorten the duration of the flu, lessen your symptoms and make you less contagious.
Avoid spreading germs by washing your hands frequently, avoiding touching your face and sneeze into a tissue or into your elbow. If you do get sick, stay home if you can.
Some worry about egg allergies, but according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, so little egg protein is used with the flu vaccine that it’s unlikely to cause a reaction. Still, people should talk to their doctor about what’s best, as not all formulations contain eggs.
