There's no time like now to act to protect self, family

Autumn is the beginning of the flu season and getting a flu vaccinatation is the first and most important step in protecting yourself and your family.
And there's no time like now to act.

“The flu is a preventable disease and getting a flu shot is the best way to protect yourself and your family, which cuts down on doctor visits and the number of days you call in sick to work and/or school,” said Paul Kuehnert, Kane County Health Department executive director. “Even healthy people can get the flu and it can be serious.”
Beginning in October the Health Department will again provide weekly updates of influenza-like illness activity in Kane County on its Web site. Schools, hospitals and laboratories will be able to provide an up-to-date picture of the activity through reports from parents, emergency room visits and lab test results.
Of course there are other ways to help stop the spread of the flu. You’ve heard of the Three C’s? They really work: Cover your cough, Clean your hands and Contain the disease by staying home if you’re sick.
Ensuring you stick to a healthy diet and get plenty of rest and exercise throughout the flu season will also help maintain your immunity.
This year’s vaccine is geared toward three different influenza viruses and, no, you can’t get the flu from the flu shot. Over decades of use by hundreds of millions of people, the vaccines have proven to be safe and effective.
With a few exceptions,  everyone should get an annual seasonal flu vaccination. While it is important for children younger than 5 to get vaccinated, it is even more so for children younger than 2 years old. Those with chronic medical conditions also are at high risk for the flu.  
The exceptions are: those with a severe allergy to chicken eggs, have had a severe reaction to an influenza vaccination, children younger than 6 months of age and those who have a moderate-to-severe illness with a fever (they should wait until they recover to get vaccinated.)  People with a history of Guillain–Barré Syndrome should consult with their doctor to decide whether the vaccine is recommended for them.  
There are two vaccination choices. The “flu shot” is an inactivated vaccine (containing killed virus) that is given with a needle, usually in the arm. The flu shot is approved for use in people older than 6 months, including pregnant women and people with chronic medical conditions. A high-dose flu shot has been approved for people 65 and older.
For people who doesn’t like “shots,” the nasal-spray flu vaccine is made with live, weakened flu viruses given as a nasal spray (sometimes called LAIV for “Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine”). Again, the viruses in the nasal spray vaccine do not cause the flu. LAIV is approved for use in healthy people 2 through 49 years of age who are not pregnant.
Both the Kane County Health Department’s Web site and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have a wealth of information available just a click away.
To find the nearest location of a flu shot provider, simply visit the Health Department’s Web site to find a map of those providers in Kane County www.kanehealth.com/flu_shots.htm.
And, in addition to all the resources available on the Department’s “Stop the Flu: It Starts with You” Web site, it will also will be posting regular updates on Facebook and Twitter (KaneCoHealth) pages throughout the flu season.