Flu Shots
"Are There Enough Flu Shots to Go 'Round?"
With all the hype about the oncoming swine flu pandemic, it is hard to decipher what really is the best way to prevent yourself from getting the flu.
As much as you wash your hands, eat well, and practice good hygiene -- scientists still say that flu shots are the way to go. By no means are they telling you should forego the practical elements of protecting yourself if you decide theflu shots the way to go. But flu shots give you a one up in protecting yourself.
Now that scientists have gotten the hang of how to handle the flu season, flu shots are readily available to anyone. You do not even need medical insurance to get a flu shot. Most any pharmacy will sell and administerflu shots.
But be forewarned, that this up coming flu season -- there are no flu shots available.. yet. This particular strain of the flu (H1N1) is a complex mix of viruses, that scientists have a hard time finding a protein or antibody to defeat the virus upon entering the immune system.
If the flu shots do not exactly correlate with the strain of the flu, then the flu shots will be deemed useless. Unless it is an exact match, flu shots are not going to be helpful even in the most critical of patients.
If they do not find a flu shot that would protect humans from getting the flu, then it would be up to us to try and avoid coming down with the flu this season.
