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Take aimat the flu
More vaccine choices are available
GETTING VACCINATED
is still the No. 1 way to avoid the flu—a sometimes
deadly disease. And these days there’s more than one way to get the vaccine.
That’s good news for people who don’t like shots or are allergic to eggs.
WHAT ARE YOUR OPTIONS?
You can get a flu vaccine (called the trivalent
vaccine) that safeguards against three strains of flu virus.
“The Food and Drug Administration and its parent, the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services, have long encouraged the development of
new technologies for producing flu vaccines,” explains Hala Nashed, director,
infection prevention at Glendale Adventist Medical Center.
You can get a vaccine that is:
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A standard-dose trivalent shot, manufactured using a virus grown in
eggs. There are several different flu shots of this type available, and they are
approved for people of different ages. Some are approved for use in people
as young as 6 months of age. Most flu vaccines are given with a needle. One
standard-dose trivalent shot also can be given with a jet injector for persons
ages 18 through 64 years.
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A high-dose trivalent shot, approved for people 65 and older.
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A trivalent shot containing a virus grown in cell culture, which is approved
for people 18 and older.
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Egg-free, approved for people 18 years and older.
If shots make you nervous, you can get the flu mist in the form of a nasal
spray. The flu mist protects against two influenza A and two influenza B strains
(quadrivalent). If you choose the flu mist, you must be healthy with no history
of severe allergic reactions to any component of the vaccine. Those who should
not receive the flu mist are people who are immunosuppressed or caring for an
immunosuppressed patient, people who have taken antiviral drugs within the
last 48 hours, pregnant women and children 2 to 4 years old with severe asthma.
WHO NEEDS THE VACCINE?
“Nearly everyone 6 months and older can, and
should, get a flu shot,” says Nashed. “It’s especially important for people at
high risk of complications from the flu.”
This includes:
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People with chronic medical conditions.
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Pregnant women.
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Children younger than 5 years old.
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Adults 65 and older.
If you live with or care for people at high risk, including infants younger
than 6 months, you should get a flu vaccination. People who have had a severe
allergic reaction to eggs or to the flu vaccine might need to skip vaccinations.
Talk to your doctor if you have concerns.
Taking preventive measures such as washing hands, covering coughs and
sneezes, and staying home when sick can also help decrease the spread and
minimize the effects of flu.
Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
YOU’VE CUT YOUR THUMB
with a knife.
It’s bleeding, and a simple bandage won’t
do. You might even need stitches. What
do you do?
Consider going to an urgent care center.
These centers provide fast medical help
for situations that are not life-threatening.
WHEN IT’S URGENT
Urgent care centers
are places where you can walk in without
an appointment and be seen by a medical
professional without having to wait very
long. Urgent care offers a convenient alter-
native when your doctor’s office is closed
or when you can’t get an appointment as
quickly as you need one.
According to the National Institutes of
Health and other experts, urgent care is
appropriate for minor illnesses and inju-
ries, such as:
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Cuts and lacerations.
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Sprains and strains.
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Colds, fevers and the flu.
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Earaches.
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Rashes.
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Stomachaches, vomiting and diarrhea.
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Back pain.
WHEN IT’S AN EMERGENCY
Urgent care
is not emergency care—it shouldn’t be
used for life-threatening problems.
If you think you or someone else has a
true emergency, call 911 or go to an emer-
gency department. Signs of an emergency
include difficulty breathing, chest pain,
fainting, severe vomiting or diarrhea, se-
vere pain and uncontrolled bleeding.
Conveniently located Adventist Health
Urgent Care–Montrose serves residents of
the foothill communities with physicians,
nurses and assistants who treat a broad
range of conditions, from broken bones
and minor burns to stomach aches and
sinus infections.
Is it urgent—or
an emergency?
WELLNESS
T O F I N D A D O C T O R , C A L L
( 8 1 8 ) 4 0 9 - 8 1 0 0
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NEW HOURS:
Adventist
Health Urgent
Care–Montrose
1975 Verdugo Blvd.
La Cañada Flintridge,
CA 91011
(818) 249-9454
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Monday to Friday,
8 AM to 10 PM
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Saturday, Sunday
and holidays, 9 AM
to 5 PM
Skip the wait:
Go online for urgent care wait times
You can now view wait times for all our urgent care facilities online! By simply visiting our
urgent care Web page on
AdventistHealth.org/Glendale, you can skip the wait by reserving
your spot and choosing the time you’d like to come in.