Book Your Onsite Flu Shot Clinic for Fall 2025

Seasonal influenza is a respiratory ailment occurring after infection with the influenza virus. It is often called the “flu” but should not be confused with the stomach “flu” for which there is presently no remedy. The respiratory flu is easily spread through the air and can be deadly if not treated properly. The best way to avoid the flu is to receive your annual flu shot and to maintain proper hygiene, especially during the flu season that peaks during December-February.

Anyone ages 6 months and above who would like to reduce the likelihood of becoming ill from the flu should get vaccinated. Young children (under 5) and the elderly are particularly at risk for flu complications. If you regularly interact with people in these age groups, a flu vaccine is highly recommended.

The best time to receive an annual vaccination is between September to November. This will enable your immune system to build resistance to fight off the influenza virus by December-February, which is the peak time that the CDC reports the highest incidence of the flu.

VaxPro administers the standard trivalent flu vaccine and a vaccine designed for people 65+. The trivalent vaccine is composed of antigens from three strains of influenza that are selected by the CDC each year. The vaccine for people 65+ is formulated in an adjuvant making it more potent than the standard trivalent vaccine. This vaccine works by eliciting a stronger immune reaction, thereby offering more protection. It is intended for people 65 years or older, who may have a weaker immune system thereby requiring an extra boost.

The flu vaccine that VaxPro administers is made with inactivated virus, therefore by itself it cannot make you sick. However, some people do experience side-effects such as muscle aches, headaches and low-grade fever. Some people do get the flu around the time of their annual flu shot. But that is mere coincidence and they were probably infected with influenza before they received their flu shot. It takes two weeks for the average person to build substantial immunity to influenza. Therefore, VaxPro advises that people, especially seniors and high-risk patients, receive their flu shot vaccination as early as possible, preferably in mid-September.

The protection offered by the influenza vaccine varies each year and it is sometimes correlated with the strains chosen for the vaccine by the CDC. Typically, there is 30-60% protection offered by the vaccine. However, it was recently shown the severity of the flu in those people who were vaccinated is much less than people who were not vaccinated. So, there is great benefit for a person to have an annual vaccination even if the strains are not perfectly matched.

The flu virus is very contagious and a sick co-worker or student can easily spread the virus to everyone in the office or classroom. This is especially important in manufacturing environments when an entire assembly line could be shut down due to illness, or university settings where professor and student absences can lead to class cancellations. The best way to keep employees, students, and faculty healthy is for everyone to have an annual flu shot. The same is true for your family; to keep your family healthy, all family members should be vaccinated for the flu.