It’s the holiday season. And we all know what that means. More shopping. More parties and special events. More festive occasions where people gather around tables from West Oak Lane to Overbrook Park and from Logan to Pennsport to Roxborough and beyond for traditional home-cooked meals and celebrations with family and friends.
But you know what? It’s also flu season. And for many people that means more trips to the doctor’s office or hospital. More trips to the pharmacy and the medicine cabinet. And finally – with little relief in sight – more trips to our beds under covers for hours of miserable, restless sleep.
It’s that time of year, between mid fall and late spring, when someone you know – maybe even you – will come down with influenza. Unfortunately, that can mean a week or more of coughing and congestion, headaches and muscle aches, fevers, chills, fatigue and runny noses. In extreme cases, it could even mean hospitalization or worse. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Right now, flu vaccines are readily available in doctors offices and pharmacies throughout Philadelphia. Take care of yourself. Schedule flu shots for you and your family and encourage your friends to do the same. By doing so, you can help reduce and maybe even eliminate the spread of the flu among your family, friends and the people in your community. It’s the responsible thing to do. Visit www.cdc.gov/flu to learn more about influenza and how to stay healthy this season.
Flu season is hitting the United States especially hard this year. With fewer COVID-19 restrictions mandating masks and social distancing, people are more vulnerable to influenza than in years past. Call your pharmacy or doctor for information or to schedule an appointment. If you don’t have a physician but would like to find one, visit www.phila.gov/flu-shot or call the Philadelphia Department of Public Health at (215) 685-6784.
Don’t wait. Schedule your flu vaccine today and enjoy the holidays. Your timely flu shot could mean the difference between home alone and home for the holidays.
