Do you need the flu shot?

Have you gotten your flu shot yet? Well hear this: a new study from the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress found that the influenza vaccine may reduce the risk of heart disease by up to 50%! Is that more reason to get the vaccine? NY-based allergist and five-time New York Times “Super Doctor” Dr. Morris Nejat stops by “The Shine” to break down the reasons why we all should get the flu shot this season.

What sort of flu season is expected this year? Dr. Nejat says “I don’t think it’s going to particularly bad compared to other years, but a lot of people will get the flu, a lot of people will get sick, and unfortunately, some of the people who get sick can be hospitalized and possibly die.” Dr. Nejat stresses that everyone should get the vaccine, but in particular, the elderly, pregnant women, and young children especially need to get vaccinated.

As for this new study out of Toronto, which found that people who were vaccinated to the flu virus were at 50% less risk of cardiovascular events like strokes and heart attacks, Dr. Nejat says that somehow, being immunized protected these individuals. However, the medical community isn’t exactly sure why so they’ll be doing more extensive studies to explore HOW the flu shot actually helped these people.

[Related: Surprising Facts About The Flu Shot]

Regarding new developments with the vaccine, one of the newest ways to administer the flu shot is through an intradermal flu vaccine. Intradermal needles are 90% smaller than the regular flu vaccine, so for those of us with a fear of needles, this may be the way to go.

Are you one of those people who hasn’t gotten the flu shot for years, or maybe ever? You’re definitely not alone, but Dr. Nejat makes his case as to why everyone should think twice. “Just because you didn’t have the flu last year, doesn’t mean you’re not going to get the flu this year.” If you’re exposed to someone who has the flu and the virus enters your naval passages, you have a good chance of getting the virus. And while some might think dealing with the flu only means missing a few days of work, a high fever, and resting in bed, many, many people get severely ill, hospitalized, and occasionally the virus is fatal.

When’s the best time to get vaccinated? Most medical centers receive their shipments of the shot in August and Dr. Nejat says there is no reason to wait. You won’t loose immunity later into the flu season because you got the shot early. The immunization lasts throughout the duration of flu season.


In this episode Allison's Wardrobe is provided by:

Dress, Bailey44
Bracelet, Dennis Higgins - http://www.dennishigginsjewelry.com
Earrings, LyraLoveStar - http://www.lyralovestar.com
Shoes, Aldo


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