If you are still wondering which Spring Hill walk in clinic you should swing by to have it done, don’t worry, we got you! In this article, we explain what the flu is, how the shots work, who needs them and who should avoid them. At the end, you will find out why LifeGuard Urgent Care is your best choice to get a flu shot in Spring Hill.

What is the flu and how does it differ from a cold?

The flu is a short form for the word Influenza, which is a contagious viral respiratory disease caused by flu viruses. There are generally two main types of flu: Influenza A and Influenza B, each of them change every season. Some people confuse the flu and a cold because they both are upper respiratory infections. Nevertheless, those two illnesses are caused by different viruses. Even though they share several symptoms, you can still tell the difference between them.

Flu usually causes high fever, severe muscle aches in the whole body, fatigue, and shaking chills. It begins with dry nose and throat, and if left untreated may lead to more serious health problems, such as pneumonia or ear infections. Whereas a cold causes mild fever, mild tiredness, and it starts with runny nose and a sore throat. A cold usually lasts for 7 to 10 days.

When does the flu season start?

If you want to make sure that you are fully protected against the flu before it starts spreading, you should visit our Spring Hill walk in clinic in early Fall. According to the CDC, the best time to get vaccinated is by the end of October. Nonetheless, don’t worry if you’re late, it will still be beneficial for you to get a shot throughout the flu season, which is usually until February or March.

Why get a flu shot?

There are many reasons to get a flu shot. As per the infographic, here are 6 of them:

Who needs a flu shot and who should avoid getting them?

Generally, it is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control that everyone above the age of 6 months should get a flu shot. Nevertheless, some groups of people are more at risk for getting a flu than others. According to CDC these include, but are not limited to: pregnant women, anybody with chronic medical conditions (asthma, cancer, kidney or liver disease, HIV/Aids), people over 50 years of age, children between 6 months and 5 years old, obese people, health care staff, American Indians / Alaska Natives, etc.

It’s important to bear in mind that not everyone should get a flu vaccine. As a matter of fact, some people should strictly avoid getting it. Among those are the patients who previously had a bad reaction to the flu shot, people allergic to eggs or mercury, or those who have a fever the day of vaccination.

Flu shots in Spring Hill – don’t wait until it’s too late!

If you are located in Hernando County, don’t put off getting your flu shot in Spring Hill. Before you know it, it will be too late to protect yourself from the seasonal flu. Lifeguard Urgent Care is a leading urgent care center in Spring Hill which offers a quick and convenient ‘drop-in’ option for flu shots. The whole process will take only a little bit of your time. We strive to be as quick and straightforward as possible. Our Lifeguard Urgent Care is conveniently located on 491 Mariner Blvd. in Spring Hill and is open 8am to 8pm seven days per week!

Contact Us to Schedule your flu shot in Spring Hill today – or simply drop in!