VickeryRose Retirement Resort

Be among the first.

Wednesday, February 7

Lunch & Learn luxury, resort-style, all-inclusive retirement

Registration: 11:30 a.m.

Presentation: 11:45 a.m.

Lunch: 12:00 p.m.

Discover the benefits of our

You are invited to attend a brief presentation and be our guest for lunch or dinner.

Bistro VG

70 West Crossville Road Roswell, GA 30075

Wednesday, February 7

Dine & Discover Registration: 4:30 p.m. Presentation: 4:45 p.m. Dinner: 5:00 p.m.

Thursday, February 8

Lunch & Learn

Registration: 11:30 a.m.

Presentation: 11:45 a.m.

Lunch: 12:00 p.m.

Space is limited, RSVP to Bang Lake today: 470-242-7794

It’s likely people who got sick after getting a flu shot received the injection after they’d already been exposed to the virus, she said.

Common side effects of the flu shot are apt to be soreness, redness, tenderness or perhaps swelling in the area where the injection was received. Only in some cases will low-grade fever or possible muscle aches occur, according to public health experts.

Myth #2: Flu Shots Don’t Work

Another myth is that flu shots are ineffective. That’s not true. The influenza vaccine greatly reduces your chance of getting the flu. It can also mean a milder case of the flu, if you should happen to get ill, according to the world’s experts at the National Institutes of Health (specifically, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases).

The CDC estimates that influenza vaccination averted 40,000 deaths in the United States between the 2005–2006 and 2013–2014 seasons. Yet, we can do better, suggest several physicians, including Anthony Fauci, in a “Perspective” for the New England Journal of Medicine published Nov. 29, 2017.

Myth #3: It’s Too Late for a Flu Shot

Each year from October to mid-May, Georgia’s Department of Public Health tracks flu activity throughout the state and reports the findings in the Georgia Weekly Influenza Report, available on their website, dph.georgia.gov.

Getting the injection is important even if it’s winter, physicians, pharmacists and nurses say. That’s because there can be a late onset of the virus. The CDC suggests that in past years the flu virus constantly changes, and it’s difficult to define when a flu season ends from one year to the next.

Eid agrees and says people will say, “There’s no point in getting a flu shot later in the flu season.” But, that too, is a myth.

“It’s never too late,” said Eid. “There can be a delay in the onset of the virus in different parts of the country. Some parts may have elevated flu activity, while other parts may be moderate. But, it doesn’t mean that our area won’t get to that higher level.”

A Higher Dose for Seniors

The higher dose vaccine for people over 65 was developed to help trigger the body’s immune response to produce more influenza antibodies, as compared to the standard vaccine.

Antibodies are what are needed for the body to respond and protect against infections.

There are several types and brands, including the wellknown Fluzone high dose and FLUAD vaccines. These socalled “senior booster” shots are an immunity booster and a bit more potent than the normal flu vaccine. These are recommended for seniors who are 65 and older.

“The main difference between them is FLUAD looks like a little milky white substance compared to Fluzone,” said Walgreens pharmacist Dalia Eid.

She added that healthcare professionals need to know if a senior has a latex allergy, “because it does contain a minute amount of latex.” According to the FLUAD manufacturer, the tip cap of the prefilled syringe contains latex, which may cause an allergic reaction in persons who are sensitive to it.