This post is made possible by the American Lung Association, in collaboration with Sanofi Pasteur
as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my
own.

My younger sister has worked in the medical field for many years. For as long as I remember, she has stressed the importance of how to stop the spreading of germs. As flu season got closer, she was more vigilant about how to help prevent the flu. Her number one rule was that you needed to get your flu shot.

What You Need To Know About Getting Your Flu Shot

I’ll be honest, I didn’t listen to her for a long time! If I got the flu, I rode it out. I just didn’t want to take the time to go and get my flu shot. A few years ago, we were talking about getting
older. We had both seen our 50th birthday come and go, and we were noticing changes in our health.

One thing I read about was how our body’s immune system can weaken as we age. This can increase our risk of getting sick. And if you do get the flu, it can be easily spread from person to person. This means not only your family but everyone you meet. From there, they can spread it to everyone they encounter. Wow!

I want to be as healthy as I can, not just for myself, but for my loved ones and everyone else! One way I decided I could do this was to step up and start to get my flu shot every year. I did some research about flu shots and I learned so much! My first question was when to get it. I found the best time to get your flu shot is in the fall and winter.

I also learned our body’s immune response from the vaccination will decline over time. This is also true of our immunity to the flu viruses that are going around, and the flu shot formulation itself. When you get your flu shot, it will take about two weeks for the antibodies to develop in the body, which helps provide your protection against the flu.

When you get the flu, it can lead to health problems such as pneumonia or the exacerbation of heart disease. These can be severe, and even life-threatening. If you have a chronic illness like diabetes, cancer, or lung or heart disease and you get the flu, these health issues can get even worse. If you are 50 years of age and older, there are added risks to getting the flu.

To help educate adults 50 years of age and older, The American Lung Association has launched the MyShot campaign. This campaign, in collaboration with Sanofi Pasteur, was developed to spread the word about the potential dangers of the flu and the importance of getting your flu shot every year.

If you aren’t sure where to get your shot, you can speak to your healthcare provider. You can also visit the Vaccine Finder on GetMyShot.org. Whichever you choose, it is important to explore which flu
vaccine options that may be right for you. You can also hear stories from folks 50 years of age and older who experienced the flu.

Be sure to follow the American Lung Association on Facebook and Twitter.