When flu seasonEvery year, new threats are presented to you. It’s crucial that you protect yourself.

Flu season is unpredictable and can be very severe. On average, 5 to 20% of Americans get the flu every year. More than 200,000 people are admitted to hospital for complications. Children are especially vulnerable to the flu. Flu complications are responsible for approximately 20,000 hospitalizations each year among children younger than five years old. The flu is twice as likely in children aged two-17 than it is in adults.

These setbacks can be devastating for a family, but you can prevent them. Through the “Don’t Wait to Vaccinate”Brandi Chastain, soccer star and mom Brandi Chastain, encourages families keep these four points in mind.

* Get an annual flu vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone aged six months and over get a flu shot every year. This is the best way to prevent flu complications.

* Don’t wait. Every year, it’s important to get your family vaccinated as soon and as possible.

* Know your options. The flu vaccine is available in nasal spray or shot form. Discuss your options with your doctor to determine which type of vaccine is right for your family.

* Practice good health habits. Spreading germs can be reduced by taking preventive measures like staying away of sick people and washing your face. To prevent others from getting the flu, you should stay at home if you have symptoms.

“Flu viruses are constantly changing, and the strains that circulate from season to season may be different,”Anat Feingold MD is a noted influenza expert and division chief of pediatric infectious disease at Children’s Regional Hospital Cooper University Hospital in Camden. “Because of this, flu vaccines are updated from one season to the next, which is why the CDC recommends getting vaccinated every year.”

A person’s immunity protection against vaccinations decreases over time so it is important to get an annual vaccine.

Find out more information about the flu. “Don’t Wait to Vaccinate”Campaign, visit www.facebook.com/dontwaitvaccinate.