Vaccination against Flu is Essential this Infection Season
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that during the last fall and winter, influenza sickened roughly 40 million Americans and led to 60,000 deaths. To combat this, the ABC Unified School District Health Services Department is partnering with healthcare agencies and local colleges to offer free flu shot clinics.
Getting an annual flu shot is the best defense against influenza, according to health officials like Dr. Aide Perez-Soto. The immunity from a flu shot only lasts about a year, but it is crucial to receive one each season to maintain protection. A common misconception is that a flu shot will give you the flu, but it cannot.
Dr. Greg Frank, Ph.D., provides four tips for flu season in an article. The first tip is to get a flu shot as soon as it becomes available in your area. This is important because the flu vaccine is recommended for everyone aged 6 months and older, especially those at a higher risk.
In addition to getting vaccinated, Dr. Frank offers three more tips: wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your face, clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that are frequently touched, and stay home if you are sick to prevent spreading the flu to others.
The flu season in Australia, which is currently happening, could offer insights for the upcoming flu season in the United States. Australia has faced one of its most challenging flu seasons in a decade, with a surge in cases starting in April and May, well ahead of the usual June - September window.
Health officials are urging proactive planning due to the risk of another high-impact season. In 2025, the organization responsible for manufacturing influenza vaccines for the upcoming flu season is not explicitly named in the search results; however, vaccine production typically involves pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer and BioNTech, which manufacture vaccines in the U.S. under regulatory oversight.
Dr. David Bronstein, an infectious disease specialist at Kaiser Permanente Southern California, emphasizes the importance of getting the flu shot this year. He notes that this flu season is unique, and anyone age nine and up who is healthy enough to receive a flu shot may get one at these clinics. The fourth tip he offers is to stay home if you are sick to prevent spreading the flu to others.
The 2025-2026 flu season in the United States is expected to be active, with a peak likely between December and February. The ABC Unified School District's flu shot clinics aim to help combat this by making vaccines easily accessible to the community. By following these tips and getting vaccinated, we can all do our part to reduce the impact of the flu this season.
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