Health Care Professional Urges Everyone to Get a Flu Shot

This year, getting an annual influenza vaccination is more important than ever.

There are many reasons for getting a flu shot, and chief among the reasons is that both the flu and COVID-19 are contagious respiratory illnesses that present similar symptoms.

OhioHealth Dr. Joseph Gastaldo, who specializes in infectious diseases, put it bluntly, “Get an influenza vaccination,  An influenza vaccination is FDA approved for anybody 6 months or older.  We specifically want to protect  our vulnerable members of society, the elderly, people with  medical conditions, pregnant women, but really the flu this year more than ever, everybody should get the flu shot.”

Once a person has had a flu shot, it takes up to two weeks to reach peak effectiveness.

If a person cannot get a flu shot for medical reasons, practicing good hygiene is the best method to minimize exposure.