HHS HealthBeat (October 12, 2010)

Shot shy?

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

It’s flu shot time again. Or is it? Lots of people don’t like shots. But nobody likes the flu, either. So, at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Anne Schuchat suggests an alternative for many people:

``If you’re worried about shots, there’s a spray that’s fine for people as long as you’re healthy, between the ages of 2 and 49. Pregnant women can’t get that. They need to get the shot.’’  (8 seconds)

Dr. Schuchat, who’s director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, says this is the time to get flu protection. She says vaccination now will carry you through with protection against the three flu strains that are targeted in this year’s vaccinations. And because flu strains change, you can’t necessarily count on last year’s vaccination for that.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: May 7, 2011