It's flu-shot season again

  • Published
  • By Air Force Capt. April Arseneau
  • JBER Immunizations Clinic
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  Receiving the annual flu vaccine is the best way to prevent influenza. Influenza is a serious disease that can lead to hospitalization and death. Even healthy people can get very sick from the flu and spread it to others. Over the past three decades, as many as 49,000 deaths can be attributed to the flu in the United States alone.

Everyone who is at least six months old should get a flu vaccine this season.

Certain people are at high risk for developing complications from influenza.

The vaccine is especially important for people with chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes and chronic lung disease; pregnant women, those 65 and older, and people who live with or care for others who are high risk of developing serious complications should also be sure to get vaccinated.  

The flu vaccine causes antibodies to develop in the body about two weeks after vaccination.

They provide protection against three influenza viruses that research indicates will be most common this season.

Who should not be vaccinated?

There are some people who should not get a flu vaccine without first consulting a physician - like people who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs or a prior influenza vaccination; children younger than six months, or people who have a moderate-to-severe illness with a fever. People who are ill should wait until they recover to get vaccinated.
Active-duty service members can be vaccinated at the JBER-Elmendorf Fitness and Sports Center Aug. 27 through 30 and Sept. 4 through 7, from 4:45 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. or from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.  

Active-duty and high-risk individuals pregnant women, those 65 years and older, and people with chronic illness such as asthma and diabetes can visit the hospital immunizations clinic from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. They can also visit the Flight Medicine Clinic from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday (closed third Thursday of every month for training).

All TRICARE beneficiaries will be offered the flu vaccination at a later date. Veterans should check with their primary care provider or the VA hospital.

For more information please call 580-2000.