Every year I receive the flu vaccine. I believe it is an extremely important thing to do to protect myself, my family, my coworkers and my patients from getting the flu illness. If you have had the flu then I am sure you agree it’s something you would like to prevent from happening again.

Influenza, commonly known as the flu, is a highly contagious viral infection that causes fever, cough, sore throat, headache, body and muscle aches, fatigue, and sometimes even vomiting and diarrhea. It is spread by respiratory droplets from a cough or sneeze — the droplets can travel up to six feet. Flu can be a mild or severe illness but if you are older than 65, pregnant, a child or if you have chronic medical conditions, then you are at risk of developing complications. Complications from the flu include pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus and ear infections, asthma flares, hospitalization and even death.

Flu can be very serious for children. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, on average, 20,000 children under age 5 are hospitalized because of complications each year, and last season more than 150 flu-related pediatric deaths were reported. The best way to prevent the spread of flu and to protect your child is to make sure that the entire family receives the flu vaccine every year.

It is recommended that everyone age 6 months and older receive the flu vaccine each year to protect against the flu viruses predicted by researchers to be circulating each flu season. Traditional vaccines (trivalent) protect against 3 different flu viruses, and this year for the first time quadrivalent vaccines will be offered that protect against 4 different strains of flu virus.

Children ages 6 months up to 8 who are getting their first vaccine require two doses, 28 days apart. It is important to check with your health care provider to find out if your child will need a second dose of flu vaccine this year.

Flu vaccine can be administered in one of two ways: via a flu shot or a nasal spray. The flu shot is inactivated, meaning it contains the killed virus. The nasal spray is made from a live but weakened flu virus and is available for anyone between the ages 2 to 49.

Contrary to what some people think, flu vaccines do not give you the flu. There are possible flu-like side effects including fever, muscle aches, runny nose, headache and cough, but neither the flu shot nor nasal spray vaccine can give you the flu. In fact, a new study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association which can be found at http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1758749, suggests getting the seasonal flu vaccine may have the added benefit of lowering a person’s risk of experiencing a major adverse cardiac event such as a heart attack.

If you have questions about which flu vaccine to receive talk with your health care provider. Flu vaccine is a safe and easy way to protect yourself and your children this flu season. Please don’t hesitate in getting your flu vaccine.

Dr. Callie Byrd is a pediatrician with Valley Medical Center’s Covington Clinic South. She can be reached at 253.395.1960. If you have a question you would like Dr. Byrd to address in her column, please send it to askdrbyrd.vmc@gmail.com.