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3 Vaccines You Need Now: COVID, Flu and RSV
As we close out summer and turn our attention toward fall, there’s lots to think about — and your to-do list should include a plan to protect you and your family from illnesses.
Flu and other respiratory illnesses may seem like a bigger problem for our northern friends who have to slug through harsh winters, but we Texans are just as vulnerable. Our peak illness season starts in October and lasts until around May, which means there’s a seven-month window where serious sickness can strike.
That is unless you come see us first.
At Prime Choice Family Clinic & Urgent Care in Frisco, Texas, we offer a variety of vaccinations, which can help protect you and your family members from COVID, flu, RSV, and other illnesses.
Here’s everything you should know about vaccinations and how they work.
How vaccines work
Vaccinations are “trainers” for your body’s immune system. Your immune system is a finely tuned machine, poised to eradicate an infection at a moment’s notice.
Once your body senses an infection, such as COVID, the flu, or RSV, it alerts your immune system to produce white blood cells to attack the foreign organisms. White blood cells come from your bone marrow and travel in low numbers throughout your body until your body signals for more.
White blood cells stop multiplying once the infection is gone until only a few are left to patrol for other threats. At this point, you’re considered immunized.
The vaccine we inject into your body seeks to imitate this process by introducing one of the following antigens:
- Weakened or killed bacteria or virus
- Bits of their surfer or genetic material
- Bacterial toxin treated to make it nontoxic
It can take weeks to build up an immunity after a vaccination, so know that it’s possible to get sick immediately following vaccination. Some people still get sick even after they’ve developed immunity, but vaccinated people are less likely to die or become seriously ill.
Getting vaccinated is safer than getting sick
There’s plenty of debate surrounding vaccinations, but vaccinations have remained one of the best and safest ways to keep illness at bay. Many illnesses are unpredictable, and even the mildest symptoms can turn deadly, especially for those who are most at risk.
So, we recommend that you and your family follow the age-based vaccination schedules recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for respiratory illnesses and other infections.
Taking it a step further
While getting vaccinated can help protect you from getting sick, there are also other things you can do to help protect yourself, such as the following:
- Avoid close contact with infected people
- Stay home when you get sick
- Cover your mouth and nose
- Clean your hands regularly
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, being physically active, sleeping well, managing stress, staying hydrated, and eating a balanced diet are also great ways to help fortify your immune system and keep sickness at bay.
To learn more about getting vaccinated, call 214-550-0911 or book an appointment online with Prime Choice Family Clinic & Urgent Care today.
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