Tis the season everyone dreads — flu season. If you’re living or spending time in Harrisburg, Hamilton Health is here to help you find the best place to protect yourself and everyone around you without taking time away from your busy schedule.
What Are the Benefits of a Flu Shot?
As with all vaccines, the purpose of a flu shot is to inoculate your body against the newest flu strains. When you get a flu shot, your body learns how to make the antibodies to fight the infection, ensuring it’s prepared for future “doses” or exposures. Without vaccination, the flu can wreak havoc on your body — unvaccinated people are more likely to deal with severe and potentially fatal complications.
Getting the flu shot also protects everyone around you, as you’re less likely to transmit it. This benefit is especially important if you spend a lot of time around children, older adults and people with compromised immune systems.
When to Get the Flu Shot
The best time to get your flu shot is in early fall. In the United States, flu season runs from October through March or April, with peak infection months being December, January and February.
The flu shot lasts approximately six months and takes about two weeks to become fully effective, so to stay protected through the worst of the season, late September and early October are the best times to get it. Still, getting your flu shot at any time, whether it’s August or March, will help protect your immune system and can still prevent you from coming down sick.
Flu Shots Near You in Harrisburg
Looking for a flu shot in Harrisburg or anywhere else in the country? Great news — there are plenty of options, and you can find them all on one convenient website. The CDC established Vaccines.gov so people nationwide could search for vaccine providers in their zip code. This site also provides information about which locations offer other vaccines, such as those for RSV and Covid-19.
You can also contact your doctor or visit your local pharmacy to see if they offer flu vaccinations on-site. Many of them can guide you in the right direction even if their facility does not provide the vaccine you’re looking for.
Contact Hamilton Health for Flu Treatment
Hamilton Health is proud to be an accessible provider for everyone in Harrisburg and the surrounding areas, delivering flu care and treatment to low-income families, single parents and other communities in need. If you’re seeking a flu shot or treatment for your flu, contact us today and let us help.