It’s flu season, and right now is the most important time for older adults to protect themselves. The Alliance has released a new educational film, Flu and You: Getting the Right Vaccine for Your Age, that highlights flu symptoms, and specific vaccines recommended for older adults.
The flu is a viral infection that affects the lungs, nose, and throat–spreading easily through coughing or sneezing. Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches, and fatigue. While many recover quickly, older adults face higher risks of severe complications like pneumonia, sepsis, and even heart attack, with the risk of heart attack going up six times within a week of a confirmed flu infection.
The best way to prevent flu complications is through vaccination. The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) recommends three vaccines for adults over the age of 65 that are designed to provide stronger protection for older adults:
- High-dose flu vaccine–contains more antigen to help boost immunity
- Recombinant flu vaccine–offers more antigen using different technology
- Adjuvanted flu vaccine–includes an added ingredient, called an adjuvant, to enhance immune response
Discuss the best vaccine for you with your health care professional. Most health plans, including Medicare, cover the cost of flu shots, which are available at pharmacies, clinics, and health care professionals’ offices.
Watch the new film and learn more at AgingResearch.org/OurBestShot and be sure to schedule your flu shot appointment today!
Katrin Werner-Perez serves as the Alliance’s Health Programs Manager.