Fight the Flu

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School, work, and a big to-do list. Some people might not have time to get sick. However, now that the cold weather is on its way and some are worried about getting that first sneeze. One of the things experts recommend to not get sick is getting the flu shot.

Joshua Reitz, a BYU student, and his family take the flu shot every year.

“I have a sibling back home who has an immune deficiency so in order to help keep her from getting sick our whole family gets the flu shot every year,” said Reitz, “she has never gotten sick when we have gotten the shot.”

Like Reitz’s family, many other people also get the flu shot yearly. However, some dislike its side effects..

“I don’t like flu shots because…every time I got a flu shot I have always gotten sick,” shared Philipp Luschin, BYU student.

Now that the cloudy and cold weather is coming, pharmacies and health centers are offering flu shots. Like Carol Austin, a registered nurse at the Student Health Center says, now is the time to get it.

“This is a good time of the year to get your flu shot because nobody really has time for getting influenza and it’s a very uncomfortable disease,” said Austin.

Additionally, experts recommend to get the flu vaccine now because it takes about two weeks for the vaccination to develop an immune response in the body.

Research shows that every year about 20,000 children under the age of five are hospitalized because of the influenza. A hundred of them die. That is why most doctors say everyone older than six months of age should get a shot. Specially children and elderly.

In despite of this, some still don’t believe it works.

For those that have faith in the shot and are on the BYU health insurance plan, the Health Center has a very student-friendly price.

“Those who has student health insurance this year for the first time are able to get the influenza shot free of charge,” said Austin.

There is also a flu shots finder where you can find the closest place to your home where you can get the flu shot:

http://flushot.healthmap.org/

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