A recent survey by CVS Health says last year’s flu epidemic is encouraging more Californians to get their flu vaccines this year. Vice President of Pharmacy Affairs Papatya Tankut says common misconceptions about flu shots can leave immune systems vulnerable to a potentially deadly virus.
The California Department of Health says the time to get vaccinated is now, as flu outbreaks increase in frequency through the rest of the year. Tankut says flu levels last season were the highest observed since 2009 and in California, dozens of people died.
Dr. Gary Green, the Chief of Infectious Disease at the Kaiser Medical Center in Santa Rosa, addresses the difficult flu season from last year, how you only need one flu vaccine shot for the two strains that are presently circulated, the myth that continues to circulate that you can get the flu from the vaccine itself, who should receive the vaccine, how long it takes for immunity to develop, and the possible inconveniences of receiving the flu shot: