Fight The Flu (NAPSA)—Experts say the best way to protect your family from the flu is to get the facts and get vaccinated. The condition that’s commonly knownasthe flu is a contagious respiratory illness. More than 200,000 individuals are hospitalized annually in the U.S. asa result of serious flu-related complications and an average of 36,000 people die from the disease. Flu shots are highly recommendedfor: Children aged 6 months until their 5th birthday; Pregnant women; People 50 yearsof age and older; People of any agewith certain chronic medical conditions; and People wholive in nursing homes and otherlong-term care facilities. @Q According to the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition, annual flu shots are especially important for people who are either at high risk of having serious flu complications or living with or caring for those at high risk. Becausethe viruses that cause the flu are always changing, to be effective, the composition of the flu shot needs to change, too. That’s whyit’s important to get a shot each year. The viruses in the flu shot are inactivated, so you cannot get the flu from the vaccine. The time to get a flu vaccine starts in September and continues into winter through January or later. For additional information and resources on immunization, visit www.hmhb.org.
