Urgent Care for Flu Shots in College Park, MD

Flu is a contagious disease, most people are sick before they begin to show symptoms, and these symptoms can vary. Some common symptoms to watch for are a dry cough, muscle aches, headaches, chills, fever, or sore throat, with the combination of symptoms varying from person to person. For some, you can also experience stomach upsets like nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea, but these tend to affect younger children more than adults. If you do begin to display pneumonia-like symptoms or if your flu lasts longer than two weeks, it is important to seek medical care, as there is a risk of infections like bronchitis or ear infections when you have the flu.

As the flu is an influenza virus that causes an infection in the airways, the best way to mitigate the risk of getting it is to receive your yearly flu shots. Flu shots are made to protect you against what are expected to be the four most common strains of the virus during the flu season. For adults who are over 65 years old, there are high-dose flu shots available that can improve the protection of your flu shot as you age. Though the flu shot is not 100% effective in protecting you against the flu, it is your best protection against the risks associated with getting the flu.

Additional ways to protect yourself against the flu are washing your hands frequently during the colder months when the flu is more common, avoiding contact with people you know are sick, keeping hand sanitizer with you to use in common areas, and trying to keep your hands away from your mouth, eyes, and nose, as this can facilitate the transfer of the flu.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that anyone over the age of 6 months should receive their flu shot, as the most at-risk age group is those under 12 months of age. Pregnant people, those with asthma, muscular dystrophy, epilepsy, and those over the age of 65 are also at greater risk when it comes to the flu virus, along with those who have certain medical conditions, and should make sure their flu shots are up to date. Because the flu shot takes approximately 2 weeks to begin working, the CDC also recommends that vaccines be done in October, before the beginning of the flu season.

In some circumstances, getting your flu shot is not recommended, such as if you are already feeling sick, if you have been diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome, or if you have had a previous allergic reaction to the flu shot but you should also discuss it with your doctor so you can determine if having the flu shot is the best decision for you. People who should not get the flu shot are people who have any life-threatening allergies to any of the components that make up the flu vaccine, these could include gelatin, eggs, or antibiotics, or children under the age of 6 months old. Talking to a doctor, like the doctors at Express Healthcare LLC, can help you decide if getting the flu shot is the best decision for your overall health.
 
Some believe getting your flu shot will give you the flu, but this is not accurate as the virus is inactive inside the vaccine. What can happen, however, is that some people will experience muscle aches or a low-grade fever, but these symptoms should dissipate over two days.

Yes, our trusted team of medical professionals and doctors at Express Healthcare LLC provide flu shots. If you are looking to book an appointment to receive your flu shots you can conveniently book online with us today or give us a call! We are conveniently located at 4701 Melbourne Place College Park, MD 20740. We serve patients from College Park MD, New Carrollton MD, Berwyn Heights MD, White Oak MD, Seabrook MD, Laurel MD, Springdale MD, Mitchellville MD, and surrounding areas.