Medical experts recommend that EVERYONE from the age of 6 months and up receive a flu vaccine every year. This is especially true for those of you who smoke, since smokers often have worse complications from the flu.

Many areas around the country are already witnessing many cases of the flu, and unfortunately, one of the strains circulating is a more aggressive, dangerous type that killed many more people the last time it reared its ugly head. Fortunately, this year’s vaccine does cover that strain, as well as most of the other ones going around. Even if you received the flu shot last year, it’s still important to get vaccinated this year as well. Unlike many other diseases for which we are immunized, such as measles, diphtheria, and chicken pox, the flu virus mutates, and there are often different strains going around from year to year – therefore, last year’s vaccine is insufficient to protect you this year. In addition, it can take up to 2 or so weeks to achieve effective immunity from the vaccine, so the sooner you go get vaccinated the better.

- Tamir