Should I Get the Flu Vaccine?

Yes, you definitely should! Although the flu vaccine isn’t 100% effective in preventing the virus, it significantly lowers your risk of getting it. And if you do get the flu after getting the flu shot, it also significantly lowers your risk of getting seriously ill.

Our AFC Urgent Care Boulder team provides some additional info on the flu and the flu vaccine below, so keep reading!

What Causes the Flu?

The flu is caused by influenza viruses that infect the respiratory system. The influenza virus spreads when people who have the virus cough, sneeze or talk, which all sends droplets with the virus into the air and potentially into the mouths or noses of people who are nearby.

We’ve listed the most common flu symptoms below.

Common Flu Symptoms

  • Fever
  • Aches and pains throughout the body
  • Headaches
  • Chills
  • Sore throat
  • An extreme feeling of fatigue
  • A persistent and worsening cough
  • Stuffy or runny nose

If I Get the Flu, What Can I Do to Feel Better?

Unfortunately, if you get the flu, there is no known cure for the virus. However, there are many things you can do at home to feel better and to make the more common symptoms, such as fever and body aches, more manageable.

In addition to the home remedies we’ve listed below, talk to your doctor about possible flu antiviral drugs. These can be very helpful in treating your illness.

Remedies That Can Reduce Flu Symptoms

  • Stay home and get plenty of rest. Staying home will keep you from spreading the virus to anyone else, and resting will allow your body sufficient time to recuperate.
  • Drink lots of fluids. Water is the best choice, but consuming other liquids will help, too! Things like broth-based soup and tea will help to flush out thick mucus into a thin liquid you can cough up and spit out.
  • Treat aches and fever. If your body aches and fever are causing lots of discomfort, using OTC pain relievers and fever reducers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen can be extremely helpful.

In order to prevent a winter “twindemic,” the CDC highly recommends getting the flu vaccine this year! We offer it at our AFC center, so don’t hesitate to stop by today to get it.