What are the recommendations for a flu shot this year?

The flu unlike the common cold can make anyone sick. You are liable to miss work for a week and feel like crap. Other symptoms of flu include a sore throat, severe body aches, fever and cough. In some people, these symptoms may last at least 5-10 days. Therefore, this year, it is highly recommended that everyone get the flu vaccine. 

This year’s new vaccine will include the H1N1 strain and the latest strains of flu viruses in circulation. For those people who hate needles there is the option of the nasal mist. However, the nasal mist works best in children and does not provide the same degree of immunity in adults. Moreover the nasal mist is also many time more expensive than the flu shot. 

Therefore, for $10-$15, you can now get a flu shot, that might hurt a little, but will most likely you save you many days of illness.  Most insurance companies will cover the cost, or have relatively low co-pay ($5-$15, depending on your policy). Medicare covers the flu-shot for retirees and geriatric patients, and the VA covers the cost for most veterans. A number of employers, including most major medical centers, offer the flu-shot for free to their employees.