Flu season is fast approaching. Each year from October through February, and even later, millions of Americans will catch an influenza virus. The CDC advises anyone who wants to reduce their chances of getting the flu to get the vaccine, and for the first time this year, children aged 5 to 18 years should also get flu shots. This is why almost 146 million doses of the vaccine are expected to be available this season. Influenza can cause fever, chills, muscle and joint aches, in addition to cold symptoms. Full story, Discuss this story.
Tags: flu, influenza, shot, vaccination, vaccine
Dr. Steven Chang, the author of DailyDose, is a staff physician with Kosmix RightHealth. Dr. Chang practices Family Medicine at the University of California Davis Medical Center, where his medical interests include both pediatric and geriatric care, public health, gay and lesbian health, and sleep medicine. Dr. Chang trained at the Stanford University affiliated O'Connor Hospital, and was a research fellow at the National Institute of Health. He holds an M.D. from McGill University and a BA in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.