Savannah Pulmonologist Dr. Ryan Moody explains why it’s important to get the flu shot

It’s true: Flu vaccine effectiveness varies each year. But that’s not an excuse to skip vaccination. Studies show that getting the flu shot can lower your risk of getting sick by 40 to 60 percent, depending on the season.

“By and large the biggest thing you can do to protect yourself from either A, getting the flu or B, having serious complications from the flu would be to get vaccinated,” says Dr. Ryan Moody, pulmonologist with SouthEast Lung Associates.

Influenza is a seasonal respiratory virus that affects the cells which line the airways of the lungs, Dr. Moody explains. Symptoms can include cough, mucus production, shortness of breath, fevers and fatigue.

“The flu can be very serious. Annualized rates of mortality in the United States for the past 10 to 15 years range from 12,000 to around 60,000 deaths per year from the flu,” Dr. Moody says. “That does not include deaths due to complications from the flu such as additional bacteria pneumonia as well as cardiovascular events such as heart attacks.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends flu vaccination in the month of October for everyone six months and older. This is especially important for those with underlying health conditions such as lung disease, obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, kidney/liver disease or those over age 65 because they are at greater risk of severe complications of the flu. But even young, healthy adults need to get vaccinated.

That’s because the flu vaccine is the No. 1 way to protect yourself against the flu, so it’s important to get vaccinated each year.

“The biggest, most preventative means of not spreading the flu is to get the flu vaccine,” Dr. Moody says. “Other measures would be frequent hand washing, and if you are sick or do feel sick, especially if you start to have symptoms such as shortness of breath, definitely you want to contact your healthcare provider.”

Flu shots are readily available – and oftentimes free, covered by insurance or available at a low cost – at many neighborhood pharmacies, your primary care doctor’s office and the public health department.

Now is the time to get your flu shot.