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Are Retail Flu Shots Offered too Soon?

By / September 18, 2018 / , / 0 Comments

Urgent Care Flu Shots Offered too early at retail pharmaciesIs it too early for a flu shot?

I’m sure you’ve driven around and seen the signs for flu shots. But, wait, you haven’t even left for your summer vacation! So, why are we seeing adds for flu shots so early? There are two main reasons:

• The proliferation of drugstores offering retail medical clinics
• State laws that allow pharmacists to give vaccinations

Combine this with a retail background and your flu season encroaches on summer camp. In this world, marketing is king. Does that mean that the medical advice is sound?

Research is unclear, but it’s widely accepted that certain populations may be throwing away their money. People over 60 and those with a compromised immune system have a smaller window of effectiveness for fighting off the flu with a vaccine. Research suggests that there’s about a four-month window after getting the vaccine when the body is best able to fight the virus.

That means that when the core flu season arrives, your flu vaccine may be ineffective. At Emergency One, we won’t start providing flu shots until October. We encourage you to wait until October or November to receive your vaccination to get the most benefit during the most critical time.