Patient Services

Immunization Clinic Times

NHCL Family Practice Immunization Clinic: M-F 0800 - 1530
*(2nd Thursday of month closed for training)

NHCL Pediatric Immunization Clinic: M-F 0800 - 1100 and 1300 - 1500

MCAS Immunization Clinic: M-F 0800 - 1100 and 1300-1600

Henderson Clinic: M-F 0800 - 1100 and 1300 - 1600

For further information, please call the Family Medicine Immunization clinic at 450-4648, Option 1.

For updates, please call the Family Medicine Immunization clinic at 450-4648, Option 1.

Key Facts about Influenza and the Influenza Vaccine

What is Influenza (also called the Flu)?  Influenza is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. The best way to prevent this illness is by getting an influenza vaccination each fall!

Every year in the United States, on average, 5% to 20% of the population gets Influenza, over 200,000 people are hospitalized from Influenza complications, and approximately 36,000 people die from Influenza each year. Some people, such as older people, young children, and people with certain health conditions, are at high risk for serious complications from influenza.

Symptoms of influenza may include; fever (usually high), headache, extreme tiredness, dry cough runny or stuffy nose, muscle aches, stomach symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea can occur but are more common in children than adults, and sore throat.

Some of the Complications of Influenza can include bacterial pneumonia, dehydration, and worsening of chronic medical conditions, such as congestive heart failure, asthma, or diabetes. Children may get sinus problems and ear infections.

Influenza viruses are spread in respiratory droplets caused by coughing and sneezing. They usually spread from person to person, though sometimes people become infected by touching something with influenza viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose. Most healthy adults may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 5 days after becoming sick. That means that you can pass on influenza to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick!!!

The single best way to prevent influenza is to get an influenza vaccination each fall. There are two types of vaccines are: The "Influenza shot" – an inactivated vaccine (containing killed virus) that is given with a needle. The Influenza shot is approved for use in people older than 6 months, including healthy people and people with chronic medical conditions.

The nasal-spray influenza vaccine – a vaccine made with live, weakened an influenza virus that does not cause influenza (sometimes called LAIV for “Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine”). LAIV is approved for use in healthy people 2 years to 49 years of age who are not pregnant. About two weeks after vaccination, antibodies develop that protect against influenza virus infection. Influenza vaccines will not protect against other influenza-like illnesses caused by other viruses such as the common cold.

October or November is the best time to get vaccinated, but getting vaccinated in December or even later can still be beneficial. Influenza season can begin as early as October and last as late as May.

Who should get vaccinated? In general, anyone who wants to reduce their chances of getting Influenza can get vaccinated. However, certain people should get vaccinated each year. They are either people who are at high risk of having serious influenza complications or people who live with or care for those at high risk for serious complications such as:

• People 65 years and older
• People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities that house those with long-term illnesses
• Adults and children 6 months and older with chronic heart or lung conditions, including asthma
• Adults and children 6 months and older who needed regular medical care or were in a hospital during the previous year because of a metabolic disease (like diabetes), chronic kidney disease, or weakened immune system (including immune system problems caused by medicines or by infection with human immunodeficiency virus [HIV/AIDS]
• Children 6 months to 18 years of age who are on long-term aspirin therapy. (Children given aspirin while they have influenza are at risk of Reye syndrome.)
• Women who will be pregnant during the influenza season
• All children 6 to 23 months of age
• People with any condition that can compromise respiratory function or the handling of respiratory secretions (that is, a condition that makes it hard to breathe or swallow, such as brain injury or disease, spinal cord injuries, seizure disorders, or other nerve or muscle disorders.)
• People 50 to 64 years of age. Because nearly one-third of people 50 to 64 years of age in the United States have one or more medical conditions that place them at increased risk for serious flu complications, vaccination is recommended for all persons aged 50 to 64.
• People who can transmit flu to others at high risk for complications. Any person in close contact with someone in a high-risk group (see above) should get vaccinated. This includes all health-care workers, household contacts and out-of-home caregivers of children 6 to 23 months of age, and close contacts of people 65 years and older.

It should be noted that vaccination with the nasal-spray influenza vaccine is the idea option for healthy persons aged 2-49 years who are not pregnant. This vaccine is not subject to prioritization and can be given to healthy 2-49 year olds at any time.

Who should not be vaccinated? Some people should not be vaccinated without first consulting a physician. They include:

• People who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs.
• People who have had a severe reaction to an influenza vaccination in the past.
• People who developed Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) within 6 weeks of getting an influenza vaccine previously.
• Children less than 6 months of age (influenza vaccine is not approved for use in this age group).
• People who have a moderate or severe illness with a fever should wait to get vaccinated until their symptoms lessen.

If you have questions about whether you should get an influenza vaccination, please consult your health-care provider.