What if there was something that would help kids miss fewer days at school? Or if there were a way that parents wouldn’t miss work?

There is something: the flu vaccine. And now is the time to prepare yourself and your loved ones for the flu season.

Getting vaccinated is easy. The Federal Government has several resources to help you figure out if you are considered high risk and where you can get vaccinated.

High-Risk Groups

Everybody over six-months-old should get vaccinated for the flu. However, there are some groups of people who are at higher risk of getting sick and having serious complications from the flu. These are:

• Senior Citizens: People who are 65-years-old or older have a weaker immune system and therefore more prone to getting sick. In addition, the flu might create more serious health problems, and even death. That’s why senior citizens should get vaccinated each year.
• Young Children: Because their immune system is still developing, young children over the age of six months should be vaccinated against the flu. For those children who cannot get vaccinated, prevention is the best way to protect them.
• People Who Are Sick: Flu.gov has a section about the risks of the flu for certain people with health problems, including diabetes, cancer, arthritis and asthma.

Your health care provider can answer your questions about who should get vaccinated and why.

Types of Vaccines

There are two types of vaccines:

• Flu Shot. This is the most common type of flu vaccination. It’s given to healthy and sick people, as well as young and old. Senior citizens normally get a higher dose of the flu vaccine.
• Nasal Spray. This type of vaccine is for healthy people between the ages of 2 and 49, with the exception of pregnant women.

Get your vaccine early in the season because the flu vaccine becomes effective about two weeks after it’s administered, once the body generates antibodies to protect against the flu.

Where to Get Vaccinated

Finding out where to get vaccinated is simple. Visit flushot.healthmap.org and enter your zip code to find the closest pharmacy or vaccination center. You can also search by type of vaccine, so you can find the vaccine that’s right for you.

To learn more about protecting yourself against flu, visit Vaccines.gov and Flu.gov.

Getting an annual flu vaccine is the best way to protect yourself from the flu. It’s recommended for most individuals, ages six months and older.

Here are some other ways to avoid getting the flu and passing it to others:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Avoid close contact with sick people.
• Practice good health habits (get adequate sleep, exercise, eat healthy, and drink plenty of fluids).
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
• If you have the flu, stay at home for at least 24 hours after your fever has returned to normal without the use of fever-reducing medications.

Learn more about the flu, including symptoms, types of vaccines, and high-risk indviduals, and get answers to common questions about the flu vaccine, including locations where you can get it.

October is recognized as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In honor of the month, the FDA’s Office of Women’s Health developed the Pink Ribbon Sunday program to help educate women across the nation about breast cancer prevention and awareness.

Pink Ribbon Sunday aims to reduce breast cancer health disparities in communities by empowering leaders of local groups and organizations to develop mammography awareness programs that fit the needs of their community. Mammography screening is still the best tool to detect breast cancer early. Lack of screening can lead to later diagnosis, later entry into treatment and increased mortality.

Awareness activities include mobile mammography events, local health fairs or “Pink” luncheons to promote the cause.

The FDA’s Office of Women’s Health has put together information packets for individuals or organizations to distribute in their communities. The packets include a mammography information card, mammography fact sheet and an official Pink Ribbon Sunday flyer.

You can order single copies or if you’re hosting an event, you can order in bulk.

You can also learn more about breast cancer risk factors and possible treatment options.

More than 35,000 people took their own lives in the past year, and today we are losing more military soldiers to suicide than battle, according to Secretary of Army, John McHugh, who recently briefed America on the National Suicide Prevention Strategy.

This week is National Suicide Prevention Week, which helps raise awareness of the resources available to those who are feeling anxiety and depression that could lead to suicide.

National and local events are being held throughout the week including ribbon awareness day, a live Twitter chat on Friday and many other opportunities to get involved and help your loved ones. Learn more about the events and find one near you.

If you or someone you know is feeling anxious or depressed, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline 24 hours a day at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or you can chat with a counselor online.

Veterans and their families can call 1-800-273-8255 or go to Veterans Crisis Line for help preventing suicide.

Learn more about National Suicide Prevention Week and how to help.

If ovarian cancer is found early on, it can be treated more effectively. Learn to recognize the symptoms.