Project Description
FLU SHOT OVERVIEW
Every year, Americans go through the “flu season” throughout the fall and winter as the highly contagious influenza virus begins to spread among friends, family, and co-workers. The length and severity of the flu season can vary, but the best way to reduce your risk of getting sick with influenza is a simple flu shot offered at University Urgent Care (UUC) in Fort Worth, TX. Our experienced staff can quickly and efficiently help you and your family get flu shots at our location near Texas Christian University (TCU) that treats patients in the Frisco Heights, Tanglewood, Pascha, and other nearby neighborhoods. Flu shots are $0 Copay with insurance or $20 self pay. No appointments are necessary at UUC and we’re open 7 days a week, so come in at your convenience and save yourself a lot of trouble this flu season.
HOW IT WORKS
The flu shot is created by using either inactive or weakened (attenuated) samples of the virus that cannot infect patients. The vaccine prompts the immune system to create specific antibodies that are ready to protect the body if the virus is introduced to the body. There are many different types and strains of influenza, so each year, medical experts determine what will be the most common flu viruses for the season to create the trivalent (three-component) and quadrivalent (four-component) vaccines that will be made. At UUC, the doctors help each patient determine if they should get a flu shot and which vaccine is best for their needs. While patients who get a flu shot can still get the flu, the vaccine should help decrease the length and severity of their illness and reduce the risk of serious complications.
WHEN TO GET VACCINATED AGAINST FLU
To avoid getting the flu, anyone 6 months and older should get an annual flu shot, ideally by the end of October so the antibodies created by the vaccine can develop before flu season begins. Since the flu virus changes each year and the antibodies created by the flu shot decline over time, it is important to get a flu shot every year. People who are at high risk for developing flu-related complications are children under the age of 5, adults over the age of 65, women who are pregnant, or patients with certain medical conditions (asthma, lung disease, heart disease, weakened immune systems, and more). There are some patients who should not get a flu shot or should get a different flu vaccine, including those with an egg allergy or anyone who has recently had an outbreak of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). Patients should wait to get a flu shot if they are not feeling well or if they have a fever.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Before the flu shot can be administered, a member of the UUC team will talk to each patient to determine if they should receive the vaccine based on their medical history and current health condition. If the patient is approved, the appropriate flu vaccine will be selected, the injection site will be sterilized with alcohol, and the shot will be administered with a fine needle. After receiving a flu shot, patients may notice some minor side effects for 1 – 2 days, including a low-grade fever, body aches, as well as redness, soreness, or swelling at the injection site. If you experience any serious concerns or symptoms after your flu shot, please contact our office or go to your nearest hospital.
FIGHT THE FLU
Every year, do your part to keep yourself, your family, and your community healthy by getting an annual flu shot at University Urgent Care in Fort Worth. Our convenient location near the TCU campus serves families in the Frisco Heights, Tanglewood, Paschal, and nearby neighborhoods with no appointments needed. To shorten your wait time for preventative and general medical services at UUC, try our online check-in.