Did you know that complications from the flu cause more than 36,000 deaths per year in the US? Here is some information to help protect you and your family during the upcoming flu season.
What Is The Flu?
The flu causes a cold-like respiratory infection. Unlike most colds, the flu often causes fever, muscle aches and dizziness. You can also experience a dry cough, headache, sore throat, and general weakness. The flu can lead to more serious inflections such as pneumonia. Although normal seasonal flu does not usually cause symptoms associated with a stomach disorder such as diarrhea and vomiting, these can be symptoms of H1N1 or swine flu.
It is important to recognize the symptoms of the flu so you can seek medical treatment, especially if you have a chronic medical condition. Plus the earlier you recognize the symptoms makes a difference in how long it lasts.
Should You Get A Flu Shot?
The most effective way to prevent the flu is by having a flu shot that can help protect you and your family from getting the flu. The flu vaccine is changed every year according to recommendations from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), which predicts which strains of flu virus are most likely to appear during the next flu season. Flu shots are about 70 percent effective in preventing the flu. But even if you get the flu after a flu shot, the vaccine helps to protect you against getting a more severe infection. You cannot get the flu from having a flu shot. The flu shot introduces part of the inactive virus into your immune system and your body reacts by making protective antibodies against the flu virus.
If you want to reduce your chances of getting the flu, you should get a flu shot. If you or a family member is at high risk of having serious complications if you get the flu, you should get a flu shot. In addition, there are some groups of people who should probably get a flu shot every year including:
- Children 6 to 59 months of age
- Pregnant women
- People 50 years of age and older
- People with chronic medical conditions
- People with impaired immune systems
- People working in health care
- People who live with or care for others who have a high risk of flu complications
Recommendations on who should get a flu shot can change if there is a shortage of flu vaccine.
There are also people who should not get the flu shot including individuals who have a severe allergic reaction to eggs or to a previous flu shot.
When should you get a flu shot? The vaccine becomes effective one to two weeks after you get the shot. You should discuss whether you should get a flu shot and when you should get the shot with your physician to see when and if it is right for you.
Your Service Benefit Plan Coverage
Benefits are available under Standard and Basic Options for flu vaccines each flu season. Under both options, you pay the copayment for the related office visit and nothing for the shot when you use a Preferred provider. Flu shot benefits are available for children as well. When you use a Preferred provider, you pay nothing for the flu shot and visit under Standard or Basic Option.
You can also get a flu shot at a Preferred pharmacy that participates in the flu vaccine network . You pay nothing under both options for the shot in this setting.
Please see your 2009 Service Benefit Plan brochure Section 5(a) and Section 5(f) for more information about benefits for flu shots.