Beat the Flu with Free Flu Shots!

To help ease fears of a massive flu outbreak, Excel Urgent Care of East Northport is offering Free Flu Shots. Excel Urgent Care of East Northport, the premier provider of urgent care medicine for the greater East Northport area, wants residents to be fully prepared for whatever Flu Season 2013 has to offer.

Every year, millions of people in the United States will get sick for a week or two from the flu, but about 36,000 die from complications related to the virus. While the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) cannot predict just how active this year’s flu season will be, what is certain is that flu shots help in gearing up for flu season. Ricky Vohoro, DO, of Excel Urgent Care of East Northport, said the season runs from October to May and peaks in January and February.

"Vaccination is the single, most important way a person can avoid coming down with influenza,” said Dr. Vohoro. That fact is backed up by the CDC estimate that about 55 percent of children and 35 percent of adults were vaccinated last year. That cut the risk of flu-related medical visits by 56 percent. The effectiveness is usually between 50 and 70 percent.

According to Dr. Vohoro, now is the time to get vaccinated against the flu as it takes about two weeks for the vaccination to become effective.   “The odds of avoiding the aches, sneezes, coughs, chills, and pains of the flu are significantly reduced the sooner you receive your vaccination,” added Dr. Vohoro.

The professionals are Excel Urgent Care of East Northport also offer the following tips to avoid getting the flu or spreading it to others:

Get Your Flu Shot Every Year, As Early as Possible

It’s important to get the flu shot every year because it is the most effective way to prevent the spread of influenza to others. Remember, your immunity to the virus declines over time. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends getting a flu shot as soon as vaccine is available. A high-dose vaccination is recommended for people over the age of 65, as they are at greater risk of developing severe illness from the flu.

Keep It Convenient – And Free

Excel Urgent Care of East Northport is offering FREE flu shots while supplies last. To make getting a flu shot more convenient, Excel Urgent Care of East Northport is open seven days a week with convenient hours during the week and on weekends. No appointment is needed.

Wash Hands Frequently

Touching everyday items, such as door handles and other surfaces, can be difficult to avoid. To help avoid germs, wash hands frequently (especially after coughing or sneezing) with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds and avoid touching your mouth, eyes and nose.

Practice Good Health Habits

Get plenty of sleep. Be physically active. Drink plenty of fluids. Eat nutritious foods and manage stress.  These are all healthy habits that can help to keep your immune system in top condition during flu season. If you do get sick, Excel Urgent Care of East Northport can help alleviate your symptoms.

Keep Children Safe

The CDC says children under 5 (especially those under the age of 2) are at higher risk for flu-related complications. School-age children should be reminded of the importance of hand washing, coughing into their elbows rather than hands and using tissues when they sneeze. Don’t forget, the influenza vaccine is not approved for children younger than 6 months of age.

“We want to help our communities be healthy this coming flu season. Since we really don’t know how severe this year’ flu strains will be, it’s critically important everyone take advantage of our free flu shots to avoid catching the flu,” concluded Dr. Vohoro.

Excel Urgent Care of East Northport measures its success through patient satisfaction and extraordinary care.   Excel Urgent Care of East Northport also offers employers professional services for workers compensation, routine exams, and drug testing.  Excel Urgent Care of East Northport provides a convenient, cost effective alternative to emergency rooms and doctor’s offices from their office at Excel Urgent Care of East Northport, 558 Larkfield Road, East Northport, NY 11731.  For additional information call (631) 486-7459 or visit their website at http://www.northshore-uc.com