Flu Shots in El Paso and Horizon City, TX

The flu may cause mild to severe illness and for some, it can also lead to death. It is also important to know the difference between the flu and a cold. The flu normally comes on quickly and people who have it feel some or all of the following symptoms: cough, sore throat, stuffy or runny nose, headache, tiredness (fatigue), fever or having the feeling of chills, and some people may experience diarrhea and vomiting, which is more common in children than adults.

The flu vaccine is considered safe. According to healthcare providers, you cannot catch the flu from the vaccine since the virus in the vaccine has been weakened or killed. The live vaccine however is not recommended for those who have a weak immune system.

You should not have your child or children younger than six months of age get the shot as they are too young. Those with severe, life-threatening allergies to flu vaccines or any ingredient in the vaccine should also not get the shot, and this might include antibiotics, gelatin, and other ingredients. Knowing when to get the flu shot is a discussion you need to have with your doctor or a healthcare provider. Your doctor or healthcare provider may help decide if the vaccination is right for you and they may suggest a vaccine for your situation. People who go to get their flu shot are also required to fill out a questionnaire, which is important for everyone’s overall health.

There are a number of flu shots available, and it is important to get professional medical advice from your doctor on the right flu shot that will work best for you. There are trivalent flu vaccines that protect against three strains of the virus: influenza A (H1N1), influenza A (H3N2), and influenza B virus; quadrivalent flu vaccines are different in that they can help protect you from different strains of the flu virus (two influenza A viruses and two influenza B viruses). There is the regular standard-dose quadrivalent shot for younger children, and then the high-dose quadrivalent shot for people ages 65 and older. The jet injection quadrivalent shot is commonly used on people ages 6 months or older or for people ages 18 to 64. The recombinant quadrivalent shot is for people 18 years old a up who have a severe egg allergy and live attenuated intranasal spray made from eggs is for those persons between the ages of 2 and 49 years of age who are not pregnant.

A recent meta-analysis shows that the flu vaccination was effective 67% of the time; healthy adults aged 18 to 46 (approximately 70 percent) and healthy children age six months to 24 months (66 percent). According to researchers, influenza vaccines generally show effectiveness for people of all ages – from children to seniors.

Do you have symptoms of the flu? Are you interested in getting the flu shot? UCare Urgent Care and Walk-In Clinic offers a wide range of medical services, including flu shot. We are also open 7 days a week and we are here to provide you and your family with the best in care. We serve patients from El Paso TX, Horizon City TX, Lee Trevino Drive TX, Fort Bliss TX, Mission Valley TX, Resler Canyon TX, Alfalfa TX, Montwood TX, and BEYOND.