Navajo Nation Flu Vaccine

The Navajo Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises Navajo citizens to get a flu vaccine this fall to protect yourself, your family, and your community and help reduce the strain on healthcare systems responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The flu vaccine can prevent influenza (flu) and is not a COVID-19 vaccine. Flu is a contagious disease that spreads around the country every year, usually between October and May. Infants and young children, people 65 years of age and older, pregnant women, and people with certain health conditions or weakened immune systems are at the most significant risk of flu complications.

Flu can cause the following:

• Fever and chills
• Sore throat
• Muscle aches
• Fatigue
• Cough
• Headache
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Vomiting and diarrhea

CDC recommends everyone 6 months of age and older get vaccinated every flu season. Children 6 months through 8 years of age may need two doses during a single flu season. Everyone else needs only one dose flu season.

There are many flu viruses, and they are always changing. Each year a new flu vaccine is made to protect three or four viruses that are likely to cause disease in the upcoming flu season. Even when the vaccine doesn’t exactly match these viruses, it may still provide some protection. The flu vaccine does not cause flu.

Tell your vaccine provider if the person getting the vaccine: • Has had an allergic reaction after a previous influenza vaccine dose or has any severe, life-threatening allergies. • Has ever had Guillain-Barré Syndrome (also called GBS).

People with minor illnesses, such as a cold, maybe vaccinated. People who are moderately or severely ill should usually wait until they recover before getting the influenza vaccine.

Your health care provider can give you more information.