flu shot Archives - Elite Care Family Medicine

After a historically low flu season last fall and winter, health experts are convinced that getting the flu vaccine is more important than ever this year. Why? Many health experts believe the low flu activity over the last year has lowered immunity to the virus and made patients, especially high-risk groups, more susceptible to getting the illness. That's why now is the best time get the 2021 flu vaccine. When Should I Get the 2021 Flu Vaccine? The flu season...

Few people doubt the flu vaccine has been instrumental in preventing prolonged illness and even flu-related deaths in modern times, but even the biggest proponents of the vaccine admit we’ve got a long way to go before it’s considered “perfected.”  “Even in a good year, the effectiveness of the vaccine is about 60%. On a bad year, it’s as low as 10%. And there’s a reason for that,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of...

Since a cold and a sinus infection share similar symptoms. Knowing the difference and being able to tell which one you have can be tricky. We’ll make it a little easier on you with these questions you need to ask. What is a cold? A cold is a virus in the upper respiratory system. The common cold can be caused by many different types of viruses. A cold is usually harmless and symptoms usually resolve within two weeks. Symptoms include runny nose, nasal congestion,...

So it hits you right in the middle of the day. You start feeling sluggish. You get chills and a headache. Maybe you feel a little bit irritable. You reach for the thermometer, stick it under your tongue, and sure enough it reads 100.0° Fahrenheit. You have a low-grade fever. But what causes a fever? What is Fever? Fever is a natural response that helps fight off foreign substances such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, and toxins. Body temperature is set by the...

One minute you’re fine. The next your nose is runny, your throat is scratchy and you have nowhere near the amount of energy you usually do. These are all signs you're coming down with something, but you don’t have to retire to your bed with a box of tissues yet. Nip that cold in the bud with these tips. Get plenty of sleep. You're tired for a reason. Listen to your body and get all the sleep you can. Sleep helps your body fight the infection that’s causing you to...

When cold weather hits or allergy season comes around, you can hear it. The sound of countless people hacking up a lung. While coughing is a pain, its purpose is to protect you. It’s a reflex that rids the body of things that don’t belong in your respiratory system like inhaled dirt, food, germs, and excess mucus. Many things can trigger a cough, but here are a few of the most common. Viruses Cold and the flu are the most common causes of a cough. The purpose of...

When most people have cold symptoms like fever, runny nose, or a cough, they expect to slow down. They expect to be back to normal in a few days. If symptoms linger or worsen to the point where they're not enough to keep a person off their feet, but they’re bad enough for that person to notice, it may be walking pneumonia. Walking pneumonia sounds scary, but it’s actually a less severe case of pneumonia. With walking pneumonia a hospital stay is often not...

Have you had your flu shot yet? The flu season is in full swing, and while this season has been well below epidemic levels Mississippi has still been one of the states hardest hit this year. According to the CDC, Mississippi had an influenza-like illness rate of 6.1% well above the national average of 2.3%. The nation has experienced a mild flu season overall as of the week ending December 2, 2017. However, the disease has caused hospitalizations and casualties this...

For some, catching the flu means missing a week of work, watching a ton of Netflix, and drinking a lot of soup. For other people, catching the flu means a hospital stay and the possibility of not going home. Influenza is a serious disease. It can lead to hospitalization and sometimes even death. It’s a respiratory infection that can cause serious complications. Some of these include viral or bacterial pneumonia, dehydration, asthma flare-ups, heart problems, ear...

Every year, thousands of people make the smart decision to protect themselves from the flu with the flu vaccine. The single best way to protect against the flu is to get vaccinated each year. CDC recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older get a seasonal flu vaccine. Keep in mind that vaccination is especially important for certain people who are high risk or who are in close contact with high risk persons. You cannot catch the flu from the flu shot, but it can...