The Flu Season Has Arrived Again

The season has changed, bringing much colder weather, and with it, the inevitable arrival of flu season. It’s that time of year when we start thinking about how to protect ourselves and our families from the flu and other illnesses.

I received an email today from my daughter’s school, reminding parents that flu vaccines will be administered in the next two weeks. Ironically, my daughter is currently home sick with the flu. She’s been in bed for the past five days with a sore throat, stuffy nose, body aches, and a fever. I’m hopeful she’s turning a corner today, though—she’s just asked me for some lunch!

I plan to let her have the flu vaccine once she’s back at school. While it might seem like shutting the barn door after the horse has bolted, there are many different strains of the flu virus, and the vaccine can still help protect her in the future.

To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate?

The decision to vaccinate—or not—is often a hot topic in many families. It’s important to make informed decisions, which means seeking up-to-date and relevant information from trusted professionals. By doing so, we can make the best choices for our families.

I take the flu vaccine every year. The reason I started vaccinating regularly goes back to New Year’s Eve 1999. I caught the flu and missed ringing in the new millennium with my family. I was bedridden for seven days, and it took another two weeks to fully recover. Twenty-four years later, I still remember how miserable I felt and how certain I was that I would never feel well again.

Debunking Flu Vaccine Myths

Every year, I hear the same myths about the flu jab. Let’s clear up some of the most common misconceptions:

Myth: The flu jab gives you the flu.
Fact: The vaccine contains inactive or weakened parts of the virus, so it cannot cause the flu.

Myth: Healthy people don’t need the flu vaccine.
Fact: Everyone, even the healthiest individuals, can spread the flu. This puts others, especially the vulnerable, at risk.

Fact: Vaccines can help prevent illness, reduce the spread of disease, and cut healthcare costs overall.

Share Your Thoughts

What are your thoughts on the flu vaccine? Have you had the flu before? If so, how did it affect you? I’d love to hear your experiences and thoughts on the vaccine, especially if you’ve suffered from the flu in the past.