And so it begins....Flu season

[Guest guest]

I’ve read

several news reports today about the flu breaking out all over. It’s already hit large areas here

in East

Texas. So please hurry and get your flu shots..…. if you’re wondering if it’s safe for

you to get a flu shot, please call your doctor and ask. Baylor insists post-transplanted folks (and

caretakers) get flu shots.

From

the CDC:

There

are two types of vaccines:

The

" flu shot " — an inactivated vaccine (containing killed virus) that is

given with a needle, usually in the arm. The flu

shot is approved for use in people older than 6 months, including healthy

people and people with chronic medical conditions.

The

nasal-spray flu vaccine — a vaccine made with live, weakened flu

viruses that do not cause the flu (sometimes called LAIV for “live

attenuated influenza vaccine” or FluMist®). LAIV

(FluMist®) is approved for use in healthy* people 2-49 years of age

who are not pregnant.

Each

vaccine contains three influenza viruses-one A (H3N2) virus, one A (H1N1)

virus, and one B virus. The viruses in the vaccine

change each year based on international surveillance and scientists'

estimations about which types and strains of viruses will circulate in a given

year.

About

2 weeks after vaccination, antibodies that provide protection against influenza

virus infection develop in the body.

This school in Michigan has 400 kids and staff out because of

the flu:

http://www.mlive.com/grpress/news/index.ssf/2008/11/hope_college_estimates_400_stu.html

Barb in Texas - Together in the Fight - Whatever it

Takes!

Son Ken (34) UC 91 PSC 99, LTX 6/21 & 6/30 2007

@ Baylor/Dallas