Arlington Flu Shots

Free with insurance. $20 cash pay.

The CDC Recommends a Flu Shot for Everyone Once a Year

When October hits, it’s time to start thinking about getting your flu shot. The earlier you get your vaccination before flu season starts, the better. Of course, if you’ve put it off for several weeks or months, you can still benefit from having it even if it’s already February. Talk to the professionals at Urgentology Care about the benefits of getting an Arlington flu shot.

The Centers for Disease Control recommend that everyone 6 months and older should receive a flu shot once a year. Flu shots are especially important for young children, pregnant women, and adults age 65 and older. Your risk for catching the flu increases in crowded cities or communities, and this increases the risk of spreading the disease to the people closest to you.

Are There Risks to Getting a Flu Shot?

Receiving a flu shot is an extremely safe procedure. Every medical procedure has some degree of risks, and there are very rare cases of people having an allergic reaction. This is often discovered in childhood and you should tell your doctor if you have any history of flu shot complications. Symptoms of an allergic reaction typically occur within minutes of receiving the shot and may include difficulty breathing, dizziness, and increased heart rate.

How Does the Flu Shot Work?

A flu vaccine contains a small, weakened sample of the current strain of flu virus. By introducing this weakened strain to your body, your immune system learns how to quickly identify and fight it. The flu virus sample in the vaccine is inactive, meaning it cannot infect others and is incapable of causing a true flu virus in the body.

You can think of a flu shot as “training” for your body’s immune system. By learning how to fight the flu, the immune system is prepared to destroy flu germs as soon as they enter the body.