With the flu season quickly approaching, Smith's Food & Drug Pharmacy is encouraging customers to prioritize their health and well-being by getting their flu, COVID-19 or RSV vaccine ahead of the peak flu season.
Smith's Pharmacist Jaime Montuoro says influenza, more commonly known as the flu, is a highly contagious respiratory virus that infects the most, throat and lungs and can lead to serious illness, hospitalization or even death.
Flu symptoms include fever, chills, muscle aches, cough, congestion, runny nose, headaches, and fatigue. People may also experience: dehydration, loss of appetite, or sweating, nasal congestion, runny nose, or sneezing. Other common symptoms are chest discomfort, head congestion, nausea, shortness of breath, sore throat, or swollen lymph nodes.
Flu vaccines cause antibodies to develop in the body, which provide protection against the flu, and the vaccines are fully protective about two weeks after vaccination.
The CDC recommends people get their flu shot in September or October, so now is the time!
Jaime says Smith's also offers COVID shots. The CDC recommends everyone six-months and older receive the updated vaccine this fall to help prevent severe illness hospitalization and even death.
She explained that the updated vaccine is no longer a booster. It's now developed every year to match circulating COVID variants, similar to how the flu vaccine is reformulated annually.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms.
Although most people recover in a week or two, infants and older adults are more likely to develop series RSV.
An RSV vaccine, which adults only need to get once, is recommended for people 75 and older or those ages 60 to 74 with chronic illnesses.
Jaime says you can receive all of these vaccines and others at the same time, including pneumonia and shingles.
You can visit any Smith's Food & Drug Pharmacy without an appointment to receive your flu shot. If you prefer to make an appointment and complete registration online prior to your visit, go to smithsfoodanddrug.com/flu.
