Like It or Not, It's Time for a Flu Shot
How often do you or someone you know end up getting sick during the holidays? It shouldn’t be all that surprising: People are mingling more just when a new flu season is on the upswing, making it easy for the flu to spread. This can make the holidays a dangerous time for you as an older adult—and even more so if you have any health issues.
“Older adults’ immunity is already weaker just due to age. Getting the flu can remove the barriers of defense our bodies have to combat other health issues, so that even a mild case of the flu can make other conditions much worse,” explains Chiamaka Chine, a SCAN project manager focused on key health issues.
LET A FLU SHOT PROTECT YOU
It’s tough to avoid being exposed to the flu completely during this time of year, but you can help make the holidays safer by getting a flu shot. The flu vaccine is the most effective safeguard against getting the flu and having to be hospitalized due to complications from the flu. When you get a flu shot, you’re also protecting other vulnerable people in your life.
“When we get vaccinated, we’re joining a bigger cause to help keep our families and all of our communities healthier,” says Chiamaka. While she’s not an older adult, Chiamaka gets a flu shot every year to protect her aging parents. Her parents, in turn, get their flu shots to protect themselves and their two-year-old granddaughter who they love spending time with.
NO COST! NO HASSLE!
You can get your flu shot at the pharmacy or your doctor’s office, and there’s no cost to you. (Though if you get your shot during an appointment with your doctor, you may need to pay your office visit copay.)
Getting a flu shot as a SCAN member is easy and affordable. It’s covered for free with your Medicare Advantage plan. Who doesn’t welcome more of that during the holidays?
STILL ON THE FLU SHOT FENCE?
More than half of all SCAN members have already acted to protect their health by getting a flu shot this year. If you’re not one of them, read on! Here are answers to questions people often have when putting off a flu shot. Yours may be here, too!
WILL THE FLU SHOT MAKE ME SICK?
“You can’t get the flu from getting a flu shot,” Chiamaka explains. “Some people might have a slight soreness in their arm or flu-like symptoms, but the symptoms rarely last more than a day or two.”
I’VE NEVER HAD A FLU SHOT AND NEVER GOT THE FLU. WHY DO I NEED ONE NOW?
“It only takes one time for the flu to do damage,” Chiamaka says. “Every year, there are new and different types of flu circulating.” Even if you haven’t caught a flu in the past, it doesn’t guarantee you’ll be so lucky with the types of flu that are going around this season.
I’VE HEARD THAT HAVING A FLU SHOT DOESN’T GUARANTEE I WON’T GET THE FLU. SO WHY BOTHER?
It’s true that the flu shot doesn’t protect against all strains of the flu virus—just the most common ones. So, there’s still a chance someone could catch the flu after having had a flu shot. But even then, the flu shot provides protection: Studies show that vaccinated people who get the flu don’t get as sick as people who haven’t had a flu shot.
As Chiamaka says, “The flu vaccine may not be 100% effective, but at the end of the day it significantly lowers the risk of serious health issues.”
I’VE ALREADY HAD A COVID-19 VACCINE. DO I STILL NEED A FLU SHOT?
You bet! “They are completely different,” Chiamaka says, “but they are equally important.”
GET YOUR FLU SHOT FOR FREE
Visit your pharmacy or your doctor’s office to get your flu shot at no cost. If you get your shot during an appointment with your doctor a copay may apply.
SCAN Health Plan is dedicated to supporting the health, well-being and independence of its Medicare members. If you don’t have a Medicare Advantage plan, look at the comprehensive coverage, award-winning service, and extensive network of caring physicians, offered by SCAN Health Plan New Mexico.
